WEST HAVEN - When Thursday night's Southern Connecticut Conference softball tournament championship game ended, the phrase, "She did it again," echoed down from the crowd.

Lyman Hall starting pitcher Lauren Zambrano completed her third consecutive outstanding performance en route to Most Valuable Player honors as the fourth-seeded Trojans defeated the No. 5 and defending champion Amity Spartans 2-1 at Biondi Field.

Zambrano's great pitching was backed up by first baseman Sarina Lyon's heroics in the bottom of the seventh inning. Her RBI single lifted the Trojans to their first conference championship since 2003.

"It's an amazing feeling," said Zambrano, who had allowed three hits with 15 strikeouts and two walks. "There are no words to describe how happy I am."

The seventh-inning rally started with two Trojan base hits and the intentional walk of Nicole Peterson, loading the bases for Lyon. After consecutive strikes, Lyon made contact on the next pitch, sending it high to center field, where it dropped in front of the outfielders.

After a moment of silence, the Lyman Hall dugout suddenly erupted.

"I didn't know what to do," said Trojans head coach Alexis Nacca. "I saw the ball go up and I said, 'Oh my God, it's going down,' and it just went on the ground. And I was in awe, really."

Nacca's emotions were shared by her players.

"We were all shocked," said Zambrano. "We thought the ball was going to be caught, but I guess it was just in our favor. It hasn't been in a couple of games before the tournament, but I guess we just turned our luck around."

Lyman Hall (18-5 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Stephanie Jenson smacked a double up the middle to send Nicole Rosa across home plate.

The Spartans almost fired back in the fifth. A base hit and a Zambrano walk put Amity in scoring position. However, Zambrano quickly retired the next batter for the third out.

The Spartans continued to put pressure on LH in the top of the sixth. Avery Silverstein stole second and third after opening the inning with a hit. Kate Hoffman followed with a base hit, plating Silverstein home for the tying run.

It was the first run yielded in the tournament by Zambrano. Sensing her team unraveling, Nacca quickly called a time.

"I tried to just compose some of the girls," said Nacca. "I wanted everyone to settle down. I told them to go out there, make the outs and that we're not down. They battled back and the entire team brought it together."

Lyman Hall's road to the championship game was a difficult one, including single-run shutout victories over cross-town rival Sheehan and top-seeded Hand. Zambrano pitched all three games for the Trojans, including a no-hitter versus Sheehan.

"She did a fantastic job in all three games," Nacca said. "She's a real true player. She's great on the mound and she came up big on the base hit. Just an all around great game: She was fantastic."

Amity's run through the tournament did not end the way it expected, and definitely not on the play the defending champs imagined. The Spartans moved to 14-9 overall.

"It was a big situation and you got a freshman and a senior out there and there was some indecision," said Amity coach Bob Purcell. "We didn't do the fundamental stuff. We didn't bunt and didn't communicate. But I can't knock the way the kid (Zambrano) pitched. Ally (Baker) pitched great too, but we got the loss and that's the way it goes."

Baker gave up three hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

For Lyman Hall, the win was a joyous one for the players and first-year coach Nacca.

"It's great. We haven't been here in a while," Nacca said. "I knew we would have a good team, but it's great to rise to this occasion and bring it all together. The last time we played them they beat us 8-4. They are very good hitters and they were great. Their pitcher was throwing great and they hit the ball. But we just battled back and we never gave up."