By Zac Vierra, Globe Correspondent

Junior third baseman Stephanie Cornish had three hits in Abington’s softball season opener against Whitman-Hanson, but it was the ball that was caught that made the difference in the game. Cornish hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth to give the Green Wave a 6-5 extra-inning victory Tuesday over the Panthers.

With the game tied at five in the top of the eighth, freshman right fielder Victoria Chiocchio reached on an error to lead off. She then stole second (her fourth steal of the game) and advanced to third on a passed ball.

“When the eighth inning came around I knew I had a speedy one coming up in Victoria and if I got her on she could get to second,” said Abington coach Ernie Ortega.

With one out and Chiocchio still on third, Cornish stepped to the plate, at that point 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles.

“I told her we just needed a fly ball,” Ortega said.

She delivered with one to left-center that was plenty deep enough to score Chiocchio, who Ortega said is the fastest player on the team.

“The freshman [Chiocchio] came up big. She scored our first and last run,” Ortega said.

Senior righthander Kelly Norton (eight strikeouts) picked up the complete-game win, retiring the side in order to end the game.

“It was our only 1-2-3 inning,” Ortega said. “She started with a strikeout in the eighth and got ahead of batters getting them off balance. She really beared down late in the game.”

Ortega said the win was a great way to start the season.

“It definitely had them all pumped up and had them ready for the next game,” he said.

Abington will host Franklin on Thursday.