Entering the seventh inning yesterday, the Perry Hall and Western softball teams knew that the Gators had a commanding 11-1 lead.

Few of them knew that Perry Hall had accomplished it without a hit.

But the fourth-seeded Gators avoided being no-hit and went on to a 21-1 victory over the host and top-seeded Doves in a state 4A North Region semifinal game.

In a rematch of last season's regional title game, Perry Hall (12-3) will visit second-seeded and No. 15 Dulaney (16-1) tomorrow afternoon for a spot in Tuesday's state semifinals at Randazzo Park. Dulaney defeated third-seeded Patterson, 18-3, in yesterday's other semifinal.

That blowout couldn't match the events yesterday at Western. How bizarre was it?

There were 12 errors, 16 walks, 14 wild pitches and eight passed balls in the game, which lasted close to 2 1/2 hours. Unfortunately for Western (14-2), most of those belonged to the Doves.

Perry Hall junior Beckie Baker, who pitched a two-hitter, accounted for a walk and two wild pitches. The Gators also had one error and one passed ball.

Baker, who had nine strikeouts, got the Gators' first hit with two outs in the seventh on a single to center.

Twelve batters, 10 runs, four walks, two errors and two wild pitches later the Gators had a 21-1 lead.

"They had control problems today," said Perry Hall coach Emily Thon. "We bunted a little bit early, but those wild pitches brought the runs around."

The Doves' pitching, which nearly upended Dulaney in last season's 1-0 regional semifinal loss, was its undoing yesterday.

Starter Kim Osborne pitched the first 2 1/3 innings, allowing five walks and a wild pitch before being relieved by Ann Phillips, who had eight wild pitches and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Phillips, who started at shortstop, made two first-inning errors as the Gators scored a run. Perry Hall used a walk, a passed ball and a wild pitch to score another run in the second.

In the third, Osborne walked the first two batters, then Melissa House dropped a fly ball in right field. Three passed balls resulted in three Gators run.