The Osceola Kowgirls, leading 1-0 in the top of the seventh inning, were two outs away from forging a tie for first place in the 5A District 5 softball standings Thursday, but Lake Wales third baseman Carnesha Thompson had different plans.

She lined a triple to right center, then came home when the relay throw went over the fence to knot the score at 1.

Then, a single by Teshayla Irvis and a two-out double by Kaylina Young off the glove of diving OHS shortstop Nicole Osterman accounted for the winning run in Lake Wales’ 2-1 victory at Coffey Field.

It was the Highlanders’ second win over OHS this season and lifted them to 6-2, 5-0 in the district.

Osceola slipped to 5-2 and 3-2.

Lake Wales’ rally blunted an excellent pitching performance by Kowgirls senior Sasha Mendez, who pitched out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning with the help of outstanding defensive plays by Osterman, third baseman Alexa Ballard and Jessica Callahan, who made a spectacular diving catch in short left field.

“This one is going to hurt a little, because we wanted it bad,” OHS George Coffey said. “But, this is a building block for us. We have a young team, with some very good and talented seniors, that has to learn how to finish games like this. You can’t play five good innings, or six good innings, you have to play the whole game. We had a few mental and physical mistakes that hurt us. We got away with it in the fifth, but it got us there in the seventh.”

OHS took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Osterman singled and scored on Carmen Nadal’s double to right. Nadal and Callahan each had three hits for OHS.

Mendez, who paralyzed the Highlanders with an effective change-up, allowed just two hits through four innings before Lake Wales made trouble in the fifth when they loaded the bases on three hits with one out.

With the bases loaded with one out, Lake Wales’ Beka Rogers hit a swinging bunt that looked like trouble before Ballard swept in from third, grabbed the ball, hopped over diving catcher Kaley Brosious and just beat sliding Lake Wales runner Tyre Hodge to home plate for the force out. Mendez got the final out of the inning on a pop up.

Osceola had a chance expand its lead in the third inning when Nadal singled with Osterman at second, but Highlander center fielder Kaleigh Floyd threw Osterman out at the plate. That play was typical of several outstanding defensive plays by both teams.

Osceola had the top of the order up in the bottom of the seventh, but Osterman lined out sharply to left field, and, after Ballard singled, her second hit of the night, Nadal flied out to deep right for the last out.

Coffey said the difference Thursday, and in the earlier meeting of the teams two weeks ago, a 5-3 Highlanders win, is Lake Wales’ track record. The Highlanders reached the Class 4A championship game two years ago and has been a presence deep in the regional playoffs for several years.

“Talent-wise, there isn’t much difference in these teams. The key thing for them is that they understand what it takes to win games like this. They’ve been there before and know how to handle it. That is something we still are learning,” Coffey said. “What’s important for our girls to understand is that this doesn’t mean the season is over by any means. We have a long way to go, and a lot of things can  happen.”

Coffey celebrated his 300th victory as the OHS head coach Tuesday in a 12-1 win over Liberty.

Osceola hosted Sebring in the district Friday and has three more district games, all at home, next week: Ridge Community Tuesday, Winter Haven Wednesday and Haines City Friday, all at 7:30 p.m.

Harmony blanked Celebration, 12-0, Thursday in 4A-6 as Breann Vanderzyl and Molly Baker limited the Storm to three hits.

Lauren Harris homered. Beth Newcott, Payton Dering and Jodi Nestle each had multiple hits.

The Horns are 7-2 and 5-0 in the district.