Deer Lakes appeared poised to win its section 3-AA showdown, leading Burrell by a run with one out in the top of the seventh.
But a double by Justine Damico and an infield roller by Kaitlyn Sweeney lifted the Bucs to a 4-3 victory Thursday afternoon.
The win gave Burrell (11-1, 10-1) sole possession of first place in the section race.
Deer Lakes (9-2, 8-2), however, can clinch a WPIAL playoff berth with a victory this afternoon at Shady Side Academy.
The Lancers had taken a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth on freshman Siera Sarver's home run over to center.
But with one out in the seventh, Jaila Manga reached second on an error. Damico, after two solid shots to left just fell foul, hammered a pitch that stayed fair, slicing past Laura Soxman's reach, scoring Manga.
After Sarver relieved starter Haliey Moretti, Nina Spagnolo grounded to second, advancing Damico to third. Damico scored when Sweeney beat out a roller to short.
"I was trying to put the ball in play and bring Jaila around to score," Damico said. "We just wanted to play our hardest and come out with a win."
"The hit by Justine opened the gates for us," Burrell coach Mike Spagnolo said. "I told Nina after they changed pitchers to put the bat on the ball, make them make a play, and we could get Justine to third. She did, then we got that ground ball in the hole. It was just fate."
For a while, it looked as if Burrell's only two regular-season losses would be to the section champion for the second straight season. The Bucs lost to Valley twice in 2010, and lost to Deer Lakes, 3-0, on April 15.
"We executed some things very well today, and, quite honestly, we didn't execute some things well," Deer Lakes coach Craig Taliani said. "You can't give extra outs to a team like that."
The Lancers took a 1-0 lead in the second yesterday. Hannah Blinn doubled, and courtesy runner Haley Ketchell advanced to third on an illegal pitch.
Abby Linton, honored as one of the area's Outstanding Young Citizens at a banquet hosted by Trib Total Media after the game, drove home Ketchell with a nubber along the third base line.
Burrell answered in the top of the third, as Jordan Moses and Manga both came home on Nina Spagnolo's triple.
"I thought once the weather got warm and we played more games, we'd get our swings," Spagnolo said. "The first time around, it was early in the season, and we weren't hitting the ball. I thought it would be a different game today, and it was."
In the fifth, Becca Babincak led off with a triple to deep left and scored on Nancy Baumgartel's bunt to third to tie the game at 2-2.
That set the stage for Sarver's blast, one of 10 hits off winning pitcher Casey Moses.
"Siera's hit the ball well all year, and she's been a nice young addition for us," Taliani said. "We've hit the ball well in timely situations like we did today."
Moses struck out 11.
The WPIAL playoff pairings will be announced Thursday night.
