Facing a five-goal deficit versus Brighton with under 10 minutes left in regulation, the situation looked pretty dire for the Pioneer High School girls lacrosse team in the Division 1 state finals at Troy Athens High School on Saturday.

Pioneer had started the game with a 3-0 lead, but Brighton outscored the Pioneers 13-6 after that and had a comfortable lead as the clock ticked down toward what seemed like was their state title to lose.

That’s when the Pioneers came storming back, scoring five straight goals -- two in the last minute of regulation and one with just four seconds left -- to force overtime.

The Bulldogs, however, would prevail, eventually winning, 17-15.

“They played their hearts out,” Pioneer coach Zach Maghes said. “I told them to stand proud, be proud. I just told them there’s a lot to learn and get better from this.”

Pioneer senior Margaret Burns scored with four seconds left in regulation to force overtime and Rachel Freeman gave the Pioneers a 14-13 lead with her seventh goal of the game in overtime. Overtime in lacrosse is split into two, three-minute halves.

Brighton scored two more goals to take a 15-14 lead into the second overtime session. Emy Guttman scored her fourth goal of the game to tie the game at 15-15, but the Bulldogs scored a pair of goals in the final 1:19 to seal the victory.

BASEBALL

Father Gabriel Richard wins Division 3 regional

The Father Gabriel Richard baseball team’s prolific offense was on display Saturday as the Fighting Irish outscored their opponents 26-1 en route to a Division 3 regional championship at Manchester High School.

Richard defeated Jackson Lumen Christi 11-1 in five-innings in the semifinals before beating Hanover Horton, 15-0, in three innings in the final.

Richard senior Donnie Eaton had a solid day all around, getting a win and 10 strikeouts in four innings of work on the mound in the opener, allowing just two hits. Eaton was 3-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs against Hanover Horton.

Richard (33-6) opened the nightcap with a seven-run first inning in which the first nine batters all reached base safely. Chris Ostrowski got his 11th win on the hill for Richard, allowing no hits and striking out seven in three innings of work.

With the win, the Fighting Irish advance to the state quarterfinals where they will see Catholic High School League rival Madison Heights Bishop Foley.

Richard was ranked second and Foley first in Division 3 in the final Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association poll. Foley also cruised through regionals on Saturday, outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 22-0.

Richard ousted Foley from the Division 3 state semifinals last year. The Ventures won the two teams’ first three games of the year, but Richard has won the past two, the last of which was in walk-off fashion in the CHSL championship game at Comerica Park.

Richard and Foley will play Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Adrian College.

Pioneer's state title defense comes to an end

Pioneer baseball coach Jerry Holley had hoped his team’s season would end at Bailey Park in Battle Creek, annual site of the state finals. He just hadn’t planned on it happening so early.

The Pioneers fell 3-1 in a regional semifinal rematch with Grand Ledge in Battle Creek on Saturday. Pioneer knocked off the top-ranked Comets last year en route to a state championship and the Comets returned the favor on Saturday, officially ending the Pioneers’ title defense.

“We played well, just didn’t play well enough,” Holley said. “Baseball’s like that. We hit the ball hard -- outhit them 8-3 -- it just didn’t come out our way. But we had a very good year. I’m proud of them.”

Jack Scheel struggled from the mound in the first two innings, but managed to only give up one inning in each. Grand Ledge scored its third and final run in the third inning, when Holley said Scheel started looking like himself.

“We were thinking about taking him out after the second, but he threw less pitches in last four innings than he did in the first two,” Holley said. “That just shows the type of competitor he is.”

Pioneer scored its lone run in the first inning when Travis Maezes hit into a double play, which scored Justin Sherman from third base. The Pioneers (26-8) had runners in scoring position throughout the game, but couldn’t seem to get a hit when they needed it most.

“Definitely not the way we wanted to end, but I’m very proud of our kids,” Holley said. “They consistently put in good effort, credit to Grand Ledge.”

SOFTBALL

Milan wins first ever regional championship, Chelsea ousted in semifinals

The Milan softball team won its first-ever regional championship on Saturday at Chelsea High School. The Big Reds defeated Penfield 6-0 in the semifinal before winning 11-4 over Riverview in the final.

Riverview had beaten Chelsea, 4-2, to advance to the final earlier in the day.

Kat Hoffman had a perfect game through six innings with 11 strikeouts before giving up two hits in the seventh inning against Penfield and was 3-for-4 from the plate. Nina Doran had a home run in each game for the Big Reds and Dray Garett had a pair of doubles.

“They’re definitely peaking when they should be and playing well,” said Milan coach Stacy Heams. “If the bats aren’t working, the defense picks them up and overall we’re doing great in the batters box.

Milan (30-2) will play Grand Rapids South Christian at the University of Michigan’s Alumni Field on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Manchester falls to Lumen Christi

The Manchester softball team lost to Jackson Lumen Christi, 3-2, in the Division 3 regional semifinal at Manchester High School on Saturday.

GIRLS SOCCER

Pioneer soccer loses in regional final

The Pioneer girls soccer team’s playoff run came to an end on Saturday in a 2-0 loss to Grosse Pointe South in the Division 1 regional final/state quarterfinal at Dearborn Edsel Ford High School.

GOLF

Emma Salata, Manchester fall just short of qualifying for boys golf state finals

Whitmore Lake junior Emma Salata fell four strokes and one place short of qualifying for the Division 3 boys golf state finals on Friday. Salata, who plays during the boys season because Whitmore Lake doesn’t have a girls team, tied for fourth place amongst the 57 individuals from non-state qualifying teams at the regional tournament at Rustic Glenn in Saline.

The top three teams from the 12-team tournament move on to states as well as the top three scorers from non-qualifying teams. Salata shot a six-over par 78. Manchester’s Nik Stetler qualified as an individual after shooting a 74, good for third place among individuals from non-qualifying teams.

Father Gabriel Richard and Manchester failed to advance in the team competition after coming in sixth and ninth place, respectively.

GIRLS SOCCER

Dexter shutout streak, playoff run, ends

The shutout streak of the Dexter High School girls soccer team ended on Friday as did the Dreadnaughts’ run in the Division 2 playoffs with a 2-0 loss to Livonia Ladywood.

After not allowing a goal for more than 350 consecutive minutes, which spanned over the course of five games, Dexter gave up a goal in the first half. Ladywood added an insurance goal in the second half.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.