RAPID CITY - The only game in town Saturday night lived up to its billing as the Canyon Lake All-Stars held on to down the Harney All-Stars 9-7 in the championship game of the District I North Dakota-South Dakota Girls Majors Softball tournament played at the Jimmy Hilton Field at Canyon Lake.

Canyon Lake will now advance as the District I champion and head to Joplin, Mo., for the Central Regional tournament that runs July 28-Aug. 5.

"This is just a great group of kids," said Canyon Lake manager Gino Willuweit. "We had to battle back from the loser's bracket and beat a good team twice in a row."

Harney was the lone undefeated team after play on Thursday and had beaten Canyon Lake 12-1 in the first game between the two teams earlier in the week.

A 10-8 win by Canyon Lake on Friday night set up the winner take all title tilt.

With Mother Nature delaying the start of the game by a half-hour it took a Herculean effort by the grounds crew to get the field ready to go.

Both teams looked sharp in a scoreless first as Canyon Lake cut down a run at the plate and then Harney starter Kristi Finkhouse survived a walk and a single by Sarah Johnson.

The All-Stars from Canyon Lake then broke loose for seven runs in the second inning as they coaxed seven walks from three different Harney pitchers.

The only hit of the frame was by Courtney Maks, the Canyon Lake pitcher, as her two-run single scored the last two runs of the inning.

Harney then dug down deep to score four runs of its own in the third as Katie French, Tessa Gorsuch, Finkhouse and Callie Stainbrook all had base hits.

Harney, with reliever Korry Beyer pitching, survived two one-out bases loaded situations in the third and fourth innings.

In the Harney fifth, Finkhouse, Emily Witcraft and Meagan Schlosser all crossed home plate as the game was tied at 7-all as Cassie Goll's little blooper behind second scored two runs.

In the bottom of the fifth inning Canyon Lake leadoff hitter Kallie Jo Westergaard and Gabbie Martinez walked. With one out and Lauren Birch running for Martinez, Jordan Miller walked to load the bases.

Beyer then reached down and struck out Bailee Kulish for the second out.

With the fans on both sides roaring, Westergaard came home on an errant pitch with Hannah Stone batting to break the tie.

Stone then worked the count full before walking as Birch scored Canyon Lake's ninth run. Beyer then fanned Erica Krump to end the inning.

Harney would not go quietly in the night as French singled and Beyer reached on a fielder's choice.

It was then Maks' turn to put the final exclamation point on Canyon Lake's night as she retired the next two batters on ground balls. Fittingly, the last one was a ground ball right back to her.

"It was Courtney's game to win or lose," said Willuweit, who was managing in his first All-Star game.

"She threw a whale of a game for us."

For Harney it was another case of so close and what might have been.

"It just kills me," said Harney manager David Johnson. "We have been here two years in a row."

The Harney manager, who just completed his 26th year of coaching, was proud of his team's never give up attitude.

"We were down 7-0 and battled back," said Johnson. "I am very proud of them. Coming into the tourney, I thought pitching was our weak link. I can't say enough about the effort Korry gave us. We were one batter away from getting out of the inning."

"This group just reloads from game to game," said Willuweit. "It doesn't matter who starts they all know they will get their chance and we made the most out of them the last couple of nights."