Alex Eisen/MDN West Fargo Packers celebrate after Lauren Diemert (center) hits a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Bismarck Century in the state semifinals Friday at the South Hill Softball Complex in Minot.

West Fargo found out why Minot is called the Magic City.

Stellar defense behind sophomore pitcher Maddy Zander had the Bismarck Century Patriots ahead 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. With three more outs left to get to secure a spot in the Class A softball state championship game, chaos ensued.

The East Region No. 1-seeded Packers (23-5) rallied with an improbable three-run seventh inning, capped by a walk-off single by Lauren Diemert, to upended West Region No. 2 Century (27-7) in the state semifinals Friday evening at the South Hill Softball Complex in Minot.

“I haven’t really caught my breath yet,” Diemert said after the game. “I’m just really proud of how we fought. That’s about all I can say right now.”

A sharp double to left center field by Malee Wittenberg, who hit a home run Thursday in the first round against West Fargo Sheyenne, gave Century a slim 1-0 cushion early in the top of the first.

The Patriots’ defense did everything possible to prevent the Packers from scoring. In the bottom of the second it was a 5-2-3 double play to get out of a bases loaded jam.

Then, in the third inning, Century center fielder Brooklyn Morris soared through the air to haul in a deep fly ball by Tori Nichols-Kraft.

“Two of the better teams in the state and we both proved it with that game,” West Fargo head coach Pat Johnson said. “It was a great game, so hats off to them… They have a great defense and we just came up with some timely hits.”

Zander was working on a two-hitter heading into the seventh inning. Packers senior starting pitcher Courtney Boll matched her pitch for pitch after giving up the opening run in the first inning.

“Every time (Boll) made a mistake, they hit it,” Johnson said. “You don’t want to make mistakes, and we had a couple. But, you know what, (Boll) held them to two runs. Kept us in this game.”

Century got an insurance run in the sixth when Halle Mattern connected on a two-out double to bring in Zander, who led off the inning with a triple.

Backs against the wall, down 2-0, West Fargo picked up the bats in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“We don’t give up,” Diemert said. “We fight until the end no matter what. Everyone in the dugout had to be up. It was do or die. Everyone had to do their job and everyone delivered.”

Lead-off hitter Mariah Peters walked. Brooklyn Myrvik singled. Sophie Ochocki, who hit her first varsity home run on Thursday, laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over.

Macy Weible brought in the first run with an RBI groundout. Then, Jadyn Iverson dropped a ball into the outfield for a double and knotted the score at 2-2.

Diemert stepped in, collected herself and sent a ball to shallow left center. Pinch runner Kaylee Lyter scored from second base with ease and kicked off the celebration at home plate.

“We had already tied the game, so I knew we had another chance regardless,” Diemert said. “I just did my job and put the ball in play.”

Johnson added: “That’s why you don’t quit. Play until the last pitch.”

A year removed from having its lengthy state championship streak snapped, West Fargo returns to the title game against XXX at 3 p.m. this afternoon in Minot.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.