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Emotions were high, for a change, on the Timberlane side in yesterday afternoon's Class L championship game at Memorial Field.

Other than high-charged coach Mike Sorter, the Owls have been considered a low-key and business-like team this year. But they were far more vocal when the state title was on the line yesterday. More cheers, louder voices and fists pumping were more the norm than the exception in the 1-0 victory over Salem.

A misplay turned out to be a godsend for Kristin Crotts and the Timberlane softball team yesterday afternoon.

Knotted in a scoreless pitching duel with Concord in the Class L semifinals, Annie Hansbury led off the bottom of the sixth by reaching first on an error. With one strike on Crotts, head coach Mike Sorter gave her the bunt sign, but she bunted foul for strike two. Thus, she was forced to swing away.

With the temperatures soaring into the high 90s, Timberlane starter Steph Barrett might have had reason to be worried.

Last year in the playoffs, she labored in the hot sun. So this year, coach Mike Sorter had a plan.

It was nearly three years ago to the day that Timberlane senior Amy Green and the rest of her family went through a terrifying experience.

Older brother Jeff, who was a senior on the Owls' baseball team, suffered a fractured skull when he was struck in the temple by a line drive during pregame batting practice in Keene. He was flown to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon where, for a few hours while in intensive care, there was concern about long-term damage.

These are the best of times for Timberlane senior Steph Barrett.

The Owls (7-1) are the top-ranked team in both Class L and the Eagle-Tribune region and she's enjoying a superb season on the mound, even better than her first two.

It may be April, but you would have been hard-pressed to convince members of the undefeated Timberlane softball team of that yesterday afternoon.

And it wasn't because of the sunny 75-degree weather, either.

One mistake from Londonderry's Brooke Beaudet was all Kristin Crotts needed.

Crotts, a senior first baseman, jumped all over a two-strike fastball, crushing it to dead center. The bomb, which drove in Annie Hansbury, broke open a tie game in the bottom of the third and allowed Timberlane to grab a 3-1 victory.

2007 record: 15-6, lost in Class L quarterfinals

Returning starters (7): Amy Green, Sr., SS; Stephanie Barrett, Sr., P; Kristin Crotts, Sr., 1B; Annie Hansbury, Sr., 2B/DH; Courtney Marchand, Jr., CF; Stephanie Glazier, Sr., 3B; Christine Hassard, Sr., OF