SWEA CITY — Runs, runs and more runs.

An offensive explosion in the top of the seventh inning led the Osage Devils past the North Union Warriors, 16-14, during a Top of Iowa Conference softball matchup Friday night in Swea City.

The Devils entered the top of the seventh down 14-10, but six of the first seven batters got on base and scored.

Relief pitcher Ashley Halbach started the inning with a walk before Kourtney Chambers hit a hard ground ball and both runners were safe on a fielder’s choice. Olivia Dodd hit a single up the middle to load the bases.

After a pop out, Shelby Blake and Makayla Mostek took back-to-back bases-loaded walks to inch the Devils within two runs at 14-12.

Sammi Scharper followed with a single to right to bring the Devils within a run, before Ainsley Dodd hit into an RBI groundout to tie the game. Mostek and Scharper scored on back-to-back wild pitches to create the final score of 16-14.

The Warriors used an offensive outburst of their own in the bottom of the sixth to compile the four-run lead entering the final inning.

Osage held a 10-7 lead before the Warriors put together a seven-run frame.

Hope Steinberger got the inning started when she was hit by a pitch and Katelyn Thackery followed with a hard single through the left side of the infield. Maddie Rolling helped her pitching cause when she hit a hard single into left field, and all three runners advanced a base when the Devils’ left fielder bobbled the ball.

Ariel Olson hit a two-run single to center to tie the game at 10 before Shawna Person hit a single to left to set up Olivia Von Bank with runners on first and second.

Olivia Von Bank saw a 1-0 pitch and sent it high and far over the left-field fence to put the Warriors ahead 13-10.

Kaylee Tirevold took a walk and her courtesy runner Cassie Beadle rounded the bases on Steinberger’s double over the Devils’ third baseman to score the Warriors’ seventh run of the inning.

North Union head coach Kim Price said the team fought hard, but couldn’t hold on.

“I think they did awesome offensively,” Price said. “They really came together as far as, last night we left 11 runners on base, so the big thing was we wanted to come out tonight and do something at bat and we scored 14 runs on a lot of hits.

“Defensively, we had some errors that killed us, there were a lot of good defensive plays, too. The girls worked hard, they battled all the way to the end, they came together, they just came up short.”

The teams traded the lead through the first four innings.

The Devils used three hits and a hit by pitch to build a 2-0 lead in the first inning, before North Union came back to score four in the bottom half on three hits and two walks, including a two-run double from Olson.

The Warriors added a solo run in the second when Steinberger scored on a Rolling RBI groundout, but Osage put up four runs in the third on two walks and two hits.

The Warriors reset their lead at 7-6 in the bottom of the third inning on a hit by pitch and two singles, before the Devils built their lead to 10-7 in the top of the fourth, using two errors, a walk and two hits to score four runs.

Rolling pitched all seven innings for the Warriors allowing 16 runs — 10 earned — on 11 hits, 10 walks and one hit batter, while striking out six.

Victoria Schwarting started in the circle for the Devils and gave up five runs — all earned — on five hits and two walks on her way to two innings of work. Schwarting sent one batter to the bench with a strikeout before Ashley Halbach took over in the chalk, pitching the final five innings.

Ashley Halbach gave up nine runs — all earned — on nine hits, one walk and two hit batters, while striking out three.

North Union (1-2) plays host to St. Ansgar at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Swea City, while Osage (2-1) hosts Bishop Garrigan at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Osage 204 400 6 — 16 11 2

NU 412 007 0 — 14 14 4

Victoria Schwarting, Ashley Halbach (3, WP) and Makayla Mostek. Maddie Rolling (LP) and Kaylee Tirevold.

LOB–North Union 6, Osage 11. 2B–Katelyn Halbach (OSA), Ariel Olson (NU), Hope Steinberger (NU). HR–Olivia Von Bank (NU). SAC–Olivia Von Bank (NU).