By Garry Curreri, Special Correspondent, Sun-Sentinel

Pioneer Middle School eighth-grader Shannon Allen likened the Broward County Middle School girls' softball championship game against Lyons Creek to taking the FCAT.

"The pressure was immense. It was pretty nerve wracking," said Allen, whose team rallied from a 6-1 deficit in the sixth inning to pull out a 7-6 victory and secure a ninth straight title.

Allen and Heather Lockwood shared the Most Valuable Player spotlight in the game, played at Tequesta Trace Park in Weston.

The Eagles, who wrapped up a perfect season at 12-0, had everything go their way the last two innings, scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth to narrow the gap to 6-3 and then striking for four runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Pioneer Middle, in Cooper City, has compiled a record of 101-4 over the nine-year span and has prevailed in 43 of its last 44 games.

Allen and her teammates found themselves having to battle from behind right at the outset.

Lyons Creek's Gina Daigle singled and Hayley Leonard followed with a triple as the Lions took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

But Pioneer pulled even in the bottom of the second when Samantha Greene doubled and pinch runner Grayson Curtiss raced home on a single by Kelly Coulter.

In the fourth inning, Lyons Creek took control again as Leonard, Kayla Dicken and Noelle McGuire all singled to make it 2-1. McGuire's hit drove in Leonard. The Lions added another run in the fifth as Hanna Prock poked a base hit to lead off the inning and Jessica Johnson reached on a fielder's choice before Daigle and Leonard delivered consecutive hits to plate Johnson.

Lyons Creek really put Pioneer Middle to the test with a three-run surge in the sixth inning.

Dicken, Erin Sundook and McGuire all scored in that frame as the Lions stretched their lead to 6-1 before Pioneer mounted its comeback.

With his team trailing 6-1, Pioneer coach Bryan Cook brought his team together for a quick meeting.

"I told them we have six more outs and to play hard and anything can happen," Cook said. "We were still alive. I believed it. We were hitting the ball well. I felt we still had a shot."

Bailee Abrahamoff and Curtiss spearheaded the two-run tally in the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Lions had a chance to pad its lead in the top of the seventh as its first two batters reached base, but the Pioneer fielders excelled with a triple play. Sixth-grade pitcher Shannon Legacki caught a line drive and threw to Paige Grunfelder at first for the double play. As the Lyons Creek runner was attempting to move to third, Allen made the tag to end the inning.

"I didn't even have to say anything to them after that," Cook said. "They came bouncing off the field. They knew at that point they had a chance. It is the first triple play we've had that I can recall."

In the bottom of the seventh, Pioneer's Allen and Lockwood each singled before Bethany Williams ripped a shot over the outfielder's head for an inside-the-park home run that tied the game at 6-6.

One out later, Megan Isoba singled and Kelly Coulter reached on a fielder's choice. Legacki singled to right to put runners on first and third before Paige Lokeinsky singled in Coulter for the victory.

"It was a great comeback," said Cook, who has coached the team throughout the championship run. "Of the nine titles, this was one of the best endings."

First-year Lyons Creek coach Janelle Ribaudo told her team not to count Pioneer Middle out late in the game.

"They really did everything I asked them to," Ribaudo said. "They made huge defensive plays in the game. I told them they have to keep it up. I knew it could go either way."

Ribaudo said the team had a great season, especially considering she only had three days to select a team in tryouts.

Daigle was 3-for-4 at the plate with a run in the title game, while Leonard was 4-for-4 with a run. Prock also had two key hits in the game. Left fielder Jessica Johnson made a couple of defensive gems to keep the game close

"I was really proud of the way they came together," Ribaudo said. "We came into the game as an underdog, and I think it was a memorable game."