For the second game in as many days, Way North windmiller Erika Millet was denied a no-hitter in the seventh inning.

It hasn’t stopped her from winning.

Lancaster-based Way North notched its third consecutive victory in the Babe Ruth 16U Softball World Series Saturday, beating Washington, N.C., 3-0, in Wilson, N.C., and the victory assured the New Hamphire state and New England regional champions the top seed in the National Division 2 and double elimination play which commences Monday.

Way North, which sports players from Lancaster and Jefferson, and single players from Lunnenberg and Brunswick, Vt., concludes opening round pool play at 9 a.m. today with a game against New Kent, Va.

Millet, who has worked the circle in each of Way North’s World Series victories, tossed a four-hitter in a 3-1 triumph over Hamburg, Ark, a two-hitter in a 6-0 shutout of La Junta, Colo., and yesterday a one-hit blanking of Washington, N.C.

An NHIAA Division III first team all-state selection, the White Mountains Regional of Whitefield junior hurler has helped Way North to a 31-5 record this season. Way North is undefeated in post season play, winning the state tournament with a 4-0 record and the New England tournament with a 6-0 mark.

Millet lost her perfect game bid in the sixth Saturday when she fielded a ground ball but committed a throwing error. However, she escaped the inning and still faced the minimum 18 batters when reserve catcher Kalie Savage threw out Washington’s lone base-runner attempting to steal third base.

Millet retired the first two batters she faced in the seventh before surrendering Washington’s only hit of the game.

She finished with 11 strikes and did not walk a batter. Millet now has struck out 29 batters in World Series play and walked only four. She has given up seven hits and one run.

Way North had several early-game hits but failed to score until the fifth. Lilly Steinhour and Rebecca Hicks each drew bases on balls and Millet advanced the runners into scoring position with a well-executed sacrifice bunt. Nadia Wasuta then surprised the opposition with a suicide squeeze bunt which plated Steinhour with the game’s first run.

Way North added two more tallies in the sixth as Katie Wood and Kayla Bosse slapped singles and Steinhour bunted for a hit to load the bases. Hicks then cracked a two-run single.

Way North’s defense has backed Millet with fine fielding throughout the tournament, and Saturday third baseman Mary King and shortstop Wasuta made several solid plays to push Millet’s no-hit bid to the game’s final out.

Millet, who finished the high school season with a 14-1 mound record for D-III champion White Mountains (18-2), is likely to take the ball into the circle once again for Way North this morning. During the high school season, Millet threw a perfect game against Littleton.

Way North has benefitted from its short game through the World Series as a number of bunts (sacrifice, hit and suicide) have produced runs. But the Great North Woods club can also hit the long ball. Against Washington Saturday, Emily Brosseau hit a triple.