Xavier hadn't even escaped the top of the first inning and it looked and felt like a done deal.

In that short time, Basha had exploded for six runs as the Quinney sisters--Cailin and Makaila--each hit three-run homers. With senior pitcher Natalie Fritz ready to take the mound, the six-run deficit seemed out of sight.

But Xavier dug in behind freshman Molly Frazier and started chipping away. 10 hits, two home runs and six innings later, the Gators had an epic 8-7 victory over No. 1 Basha in a crucial Premiere Region showdown Thursday night at Xavier.

Senior Sofia Zielinski went 3-4 and drove in three runs for the fifth ranked Gators, while Frazier added a home run and drove in another run while guiding Xavier from the circle in the last six innings. The teams combined for 19 hits and four home runs. Three errors hurt Basha, which will get another shot at Xavier next Tuesday at home.

"That was a great win against a great team," said Xavier coach Bradley Downes said afterward.

"After that first inning I just told the girls we had to dig down and chip away, and that's what they did. They just kept working for it."

Two of Zielinkski's RBI's came in the bottom of the first, when a line drive base hit sent home Tabitha Von Kolen and Lauren Putz to bring the Gators within four (6-2).

Cailin Quinney drove in another Basha run on a sacrifice grounder to make it 7-2 after three innings, but the Xavier bats picked up in the fourth, when Frazier and Putz each hit solo shots off Fritz to make it 7-4. Before the inning was over, Fritz was forced to leave after suffering what appeared to be a minor leg injury.

In the bottom of the fifth, Frazier drive in another run for the Gators, cutting the lead to 7-5 before Xavier's momentum continued in the sixth inning. Zielinski drive a line drive to deep right-center field to score Putz and it was 7-6. Then a double from Joie Ramos drove in Zielinski before Riley McKeever drove in Ramos for the 8-7 lead. 

Frazier was then able to close out the game for Xavier (20-3-1), who will likely move up in the power rankings by the time it meets Basha (22-2-1) Tuesday afternoon.

"I can't say enough about Molly Frazier tonight," Downes added. "Basha can hit the ball and she managed their line up pretty well. That was also her first home run of the season."