Addie Wernsing’s two-out solo home run proved to be the game-winner Tuesday afternoon.

Wernsing drove a 3-1 pitch over the leftfield fence, giving the St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs a slim one-run lead.

She then took the mound and retired three straight batters, including the last one by a strikeout, sealing the victory, a back-and-forth 11-10 decision over St. Joseph-Ogden in a semifinal game of the Monticello Class 2A Sectional.

St. Anthony will now play for the sectional championship at 5 p.m. Friday. They will face either Marshall or Normal University.

The Lady Bulldogs looked to be in control early, pushing five runs across the plate in the second inning. Stacie Vonderheide started things off with a double and went to third on a base hit by Laney Coffin. Julia Schultz drove in the first run with a single and Wernsing added a two-run single. Then with two outs, a ground ball off the bat of Abbi Hatton was misplayed for an error, allowing two more runners to cross the plate.

But the Lady Spartans came back. They scored one in the third and then tallied six times in the fourth to take a 7-5 lead.

SAHS played long ball to regain the lead in the fifth. Sydney Kibler, Vonderheide and Coffin all went deep to put the Lady Bulldogs back on top, 8-7. Maddie Kibler delivered a two-run double in the sixth to make it 10-7, but SJO rallied for three in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game and set the stage for Wernsing’s heroics.

Sydney Kibler pitched the first 3.1 innings and Wernsing pitched the rest of the way. Both girls allowed five runs.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 28-3 on the season.