Destiny and heart.

Two words used often to describe Elizabethtown's softball team, and with good reason.

The Bears used an improbable six-run rally in the seventh inning to shock Solanco 6-5 and capture the Lancaster-Lebanon League championship Wednesday night in Willow Street's Garrett Park.

"It's hard to beat destiny, I guess," said Solanco coach Brett Miller, whose team won the L-L Section 2 title ahead of E-town. "We played well enough to win the game, but like I said, sometimes it's hard to beat destiny."

The Bears' win was their eighth straight — they're 17-5 overall — and included Tuesday night's 8-3 semifinal win over Section 1 champion Warwick, another game in which they scored six runs in the seventh inning.

"Our team has so much heart," said Anna Libby, the Bears' catcher and leadoff hitter.

Libby hit a bases-loaded triple and scored the winning run on a throwing error.

"Every inning, we're like, 'this is the inning we're going to rally, this is the inning we're going to rally," Libby continued. "We never let down. As a team, we're so strong."

"They just never quit," said Elizabethtown coach Gary Wylde of his players. "They've got the heart of a lion."

Solanco (18-3), which entered the game with the L-L's best overall record that it now shares with Donegal, seemed firmly in control with its 5-0 lead entering the top of the seventh and freshman pitcher Mallory Rutledge cruising with a three-hitter.

But an error on a short flyball to right started things. Then Emily Wylde reached on a infield single and Abby Fuhrman lined a single to center field to load the bases.

Miller went to the mound and took out Rutledge in favor of fellow freshman Morgan Mastriania, who pitched the Mules past Donegal 1-0 on Tuesday.

Leigh Miller drew a four-pitch walk for the first run, before Mastriania struck out the next batter on three pitches.

No. 9 hitter Mandi Shearer then grounded an RBI single to center field.

"I knew if we got to the top of the order we could make it interesting," said Wylde. "Anna Libby hits the ball as hard as anyone I've seen. (No. 3 hitter) Becca Bigler can hit the ball as hard as anyone I've seen."

And Libby hit it hard. Her line drive down the right-field line scooted to the fence, and the relay to home sailed high as Libby slid across home.

"I wasn't coming up to hit a home run, that's for sure," said Libby. "I was just coming up to get a good hit. I honestly wasn't shocked when it happened. Being up in a pressure situation; I've always loved that, I've always thrived on that."

It was just enough as Jillian Ditzler, who relieved starting pitcher Trisha Stone in the fifth trailing 4-0 with a runner on third and nobody out, secured the win.

Ditzler, who went the distance in picking up the win Tuesday, retired the side in order after she relieved in the fifth, allowed an unearned run on no hits in the sixth and retired all three batters in the bottom of the seventh.

"I was really excited, because I really wanted to pitch against Solanco," said Ditzler. "I wanted to get in the game, and I got in, and I was really pumped up for it."

The Mules scored an unearned run in the first on an error and Steph Graver's one-out, RBI triple, but she was left stranded at third. They added two more runs in the third on Janelle Krantz's RBI triple and Graver's RBI fielder's choice.

When Ashley Stump knocked in Anna Neff with Solanco's third triple of the game in the fifth, it signaled the end of Stone in favor of Ditzler.

"Jillian is one probably one of the most competitive kids I know," said coach Wylde. "She's a true pitcher. She doesn't have the fastest fastball, but she moves the ball in and out, has a lot of movement on her ball and I don't know of anyone who has a better changeup."

Two E-town errors allowed the Mules' fifth run to score in the sixth, setting up the exciting finish.

Stump finished with two hits for Solanco, Graver drove in two runs and Krantz scored twice.

NOTES: Both Elizabethtown and Solanco will open District 3 action Tuesday. The Bears take on Cedar Crest at Manetas Park (formerly Zinn's Diner), Denver, at 6:30 p.m. while Solanco meets L-L Section 2 opponent Conestoga Valley at 6:30 p.m. at Garrett Park.

Sports writer Philip Glatfelter can be reached at pglatfelter@LNPnews.com or 291-8777.