CHAPEL HILL — During pre-game warm ups, a tiny, gray squirrel scampered onto the playing field and created a humorous moment for the Person Rocket players and coaches.

Person’s Piedmont Athletic Conference softball game against Chapel Hill at the Tigers’ home field was a lot more serious, however. But the Rockets managed to prevail, 4-1, and pretty much assured themselves of no worse than a second-place finish in the conference.

Chapel Hill, now 8-7 overall, 8-4 in the conference, entered the game having quietly earned its way back into the top tier of the league after getting off to a slow start in PAC-6 play this season.

Person (12-5 overall, 10-2 conference) defeated Chapel Hill, 6-1, in the first meeting between the two teams a few weeks back.

Tuesday’s contest was tied 1-1 heading into the seventh inning when Jeanne Gentry led off with a pinch-hit single to right field and eventually reached third base with two out. That’s when Tracey Vaughan, who’d come through in the clutch before, smacked a hit to left and brought Gentry home with the go-ahead run.

Brittany Shotwell, the game’s winning pitcher, then aided her own cause by lining a two-run home run just over the fence in right field to give the Rockets all the insurance they would need.

Rocket head coach Mike Shotwell was happy with the late-game heroics but said it was a bit too close for comfort.

“The game was too close,” he said. “We hit the ball but, many times, it was right at their defense. Chapel Hill makes the plays they are supposed to make. They’re a scrappy team.”

The coach was also pleased to see the hits coming in a timely manner.

“We scored all of our runs with two outs. Jeanne got us started in the seventh and Tracey’s two-out hit got the winning run across. Brittany’s homer was the back-breaker.”

The Tigers scrapped enough to forge ahead, 1-0, in the bottom of the third when Erin Bauers doubled (the only hit off Brittany Shotwell all day) and scored on an errant throw to third base.

Person responded quickly in the top of the fourth when Melissa Harris lined a double to left-center to score Sara Wrenn, who had walked to lead off.

Once again, Shotwell continued to dominate on the hill with another double-digit strikeout effort (15). She allowed just two walks on top of the one base hit and improved her record to 10-3.

Chapel Hill starter Debbie Goldbach pitched well also. She had some control problems (six walks) but managed to keep the Rockets at one run until the seventh frame.

Coach Shotwell credited the teamwork between battery mates Brittany Shotwell and catcher Erica Reaves.

“They put together a good game,” he commented.

Reaves led off the game with a double but was left stranded as the Rockets had opportunities to do more damage against Goldbach through the first six innings before rallying for three in the final frame.

Person was coming off an emotional 4-3, eighth-inning loss to Riverside last Friday, and has two conference games remaining against Jordan on Thursday afternoon (4:30 p.m.) and next Tuesday against Hillside (both home games).

There is still an outside chance Person could win the league title (or gain a share of it anyway) if Riverside is defeated in one of its remaining games and the Rockets win both of theirs. The Pirates still have to play Chapel Hill.