When it made its run to a Class 3A runner-up finish last season, the Providence softball team became known as the team that found a way to get it done in the late innings.

In Monday’s Class 3A East Peoria Supersectional at EastSide Centre, though, it was the Celtics’ opponent - the Dunlap Eagles - that came up with the late-inning magic.

Winning pitcher and University of Illinois recruit Sutton Centoni came to bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Centoni drove a pitch to deep right field that kept drifting toward the line and away from right fielder Bella Cortes before falling safely for a hit and allowing the Eagles to claim a 1-0 victory and advance to Friday’s 10 a.m. semifinal against Antioch at the Louisville Slugger Complex in Peoria.

“When it gets to this time of the year, one or two plays can make all the difference,” Providence coach Jim Holba said. “They got the big hit and we didn’t.

“Their girl [Centoni] hit one of the hardest balls to catch - one of those that is drifting out toward the fence and toward the foul line. It’s going away from the outfielder in two directions and it’s hard to judge it and to catch up with it.”

As indicated by the final score, it was a pitchers’ duel from the start. Both pitchers - Centoni for Dunlap and Macie Robbins for Providence - refused to give an inch.

Providence (29-8) managed to get a runner to third base in both the first and fourth innings, but came up empty each time.

Dunlap, meanwhile, had even more difficulty navigating the bases against Robbins, who didn’t allow a runner to third until the bottom of the fifth, when she got out of a bases-loaded jam.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Bella Olszta walked and Bella Cortes (2 for 2) and Angelina Cola (1 for 3) each singled to load the bases. Centoni then got a strikeout and induced a grounder to short to escape harm.

The Celtics got a one-out single by Aleigh Hill in the top of the seventh, but she was stranded at first.

“Macie threw the ball very well,” Holba said. “Our defense played great. We had a nice diving catch on a bunt and a nice over-the-shoulder running catch by Bella Olszta at second.

“We know from last year that we are capable of coming up with a big hit in the late innings, but it just didn’t happen this time. We still had a heck of a year. I am proud of what these girls have accomplished. They had a target on their backs all year and still got to a supersectional, one run from state. A state runner-up and a supersectional appearance in back-to-back years is a heck of a legacy for our seniors to leave.”