Down 3-0 in the fourth inning, Palo Verde turned to its senior two-way star. Ava Koenig delivered a solo home run to spark a five-run rally, then shut down Arbor View over the final four frames to secure a 6-3 victory Wednesday at Majestic Park.

The win gave the Panthers (17-1, 17-1 5A Southern League) the No. 1 seed in the Class 5A Southern League playoffs, which begin Monday. Arbor View (23-7, 16-2) fell to the No. 2 seed.

Koenig, a Boston University commit, entered in the third inning after the Aggies took a 3-0 lead. She pitched five hitless innings, striking out nine, and also started the comeback with a leadoff homer in the fourth.

“I knew we’d never give up,” Koenig said. “Off the bat, I didn’t know if it was gone, but it felt really good. I didn’t process it until after, but I just wanted to help my team out.”

After Koenig’s homer, the Panthers strung together four consecutive hits. Senior shortstop Taylor Johns delivered a two-run double to center to put Palo Verde ahead 4-3. Junior third baseman Kayleen Enriquez added a sacrifice fly to score sophomore right fielder Keileanna Johnson.

Sophomore Keileanna Johnson provided insurance in the sixth with a solo home run to left-center, extending the lead to 6-3. Koenig then struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win. Johns finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Arbor View jumped out early. In the first inning, junior pitcher Ava Henderson doubled to right to score junior right fielder Malaya Tellis. After an error, shortstop Madilyn Lowy reached and second baseman Lilly Easton scored. Tellis and Easton each went 2-for-4. Designated player Audrey Melton hit a solo homer in the third to make it 3-0, prompting Palo Verde coach Angel Council to bring in Koenig.

“They always battle, no matter what the score is,” Council said. “They always want to be that top dog, that top seed. They never put their heads down, even when they are down.”