Pine Grove players and coaches gather in the dugout during Thursday's PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal against Kutztown. The Cardinals won 10-8 in 10 innings. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

PIAA Softball Playoffs

Semifinal Preview Capsules

Class AA

11-1 Williams Valley (23-2) vs. 4-1 South Williamsport (17-5)

When: Monday, 2 p.m.

Where: Central Columbia Elementary School, Bloomsburg

Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is no senior citizen discount.

Radio: WPPA 1360 AM/A-106 105.9 FM (JZ on play-by-play, Elle Walasavage on color commentary)

Up Next: Winner faces either 7-1 Neshannock (24-0) or 7-2 Chartiers-Houston (22-2) for the PIAA championship at 11 a.m. Thursday at Nittany Lion Softball Park.

About Williams Valley

Nickname: Vikings

Head coach: Ryan Underkoffler

How they got here: District 11 champion shut out District 3 champion Halifax 3-0 in first round and topped District 1 champ Bristol 8-5 in quarterfinals.

Key players: SS Ella Kobularik, jr. (.479, 42 R, 23 RBIs); CF Kayla Hand, sr. (.373, 40 R, 24 RBIs); P Sage Smeltz, sr. (.519, 6 HR, 47 RBIs; pitching — 15-1, 1.72 ERA); C Quin Smeltz, jr. (.459, 3 HR, 35 RBIs); 1B Audrina Fry, sr. (.482, 3 HR, 26 RBIs); 3B Olivia Hand, soph. (.369, 2 HR, 24 RBIs); DP Ally Underkoffler, sr. (.565, 26 RBIs); 2B Cierra Brill, fr. (.308); RF Delaney Bixler, jr. (.361); LF Miley Mahoney, sr. (.306)

Fun Facts: Sage Smeltz holds Williams Valley career records for hits (147), RBIs (143), pitching wins (49) and strikeouts (403). … Team hitting .418 with on-base average of .508. … Only two losses of the season to PIAA Class 3A semifinalist Pine Grove.

About South Williamsport

Nickname: Mounties

Head coach: Tom O’Malley

How they got here: District 4 champion routed District 2 champion Holy Redeemer 10-0 in first round and downed District 6 champion West Shamokin 4-2 in quarterfinals.

Key players (statistics not available): P Alizabeth Schuler, sr.; 1B Abby Lorson, sr.; 3B Kendall Cardone, sr.; OF Maddie Pinkerton, jr.; SS Gianna Goodman, sr.; 2B Emma McLaughlin, jr.; OF Mikiaya Hills, jr.

Fun Facts: Plays extremely tough schedule against the likes of Bald Eagle Area, Abington Heights, Athens and Hazleton Area. … Alizabeth Schuler hit a two-run home run and Kendall Cardone added a solo shot in the win over West Shamokin. … Head coach is a former professional baseball player. … Core of team played on a squad that made the Little League Softball World Series in 2019.

Game Notes / Breakdown

A matchup of two programs that are frequent participants in the state playoffs. Last season, South Williamsport advanced to the state final by defeating Brandywine Heights 15-3, Bristol 6-4 and Bald Eagle Area 3-0. Neshannock stopped the Mounties in the title game, winning 12-2 in five innings. … Williams Valley found its power stroke in the quarterfinals against Bristol as Audrina Fry and Olivia Hand went deep. … South Williamsport is in the state semifinals for the third straight season. They’re experienced and deep. … Both teams have prolific offenses, so pitching and defense will be key to keeping their respective teams in the game. … Excellent fielding played a key role in the Mounties’ quarterfinal win. Second baseman Emma McLaughlin helped the cause with a spectacular diving catch. … Schuler allowed nine hits to West Shamokin, so Williams Valley will look to square up some of her pitches. … Limiting mistakes and taking advantage of scoring opportunities will be keys to victory.

Class 3A

11-1 Pine Grove (25-2) vs. 2-1 Mid Valley (22-3)

When: Monday, 4 p.m.

Where: Hazleton Area HS, Hazle Township

Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is no senior citizen discount.

Up Next: Winner faces either 3-1 Susquenita (23-0) or 6-1 Bald Eagle Area (21-3) for the PIAA championship at 11 a.m. Friday at Nittany Lion Softball Park

About Pine Grove

Nickname: Cardinals

Head coach: Ryan Leffler

How they got here: District 11 champion defeated District 3 third-place Trinity 7-2 in first round and District 3 runner-up Kutztown 10-8 in 10 innings in quarterfinals.

Key players: CF Callee Leffler, jr. (.538, 57 R, 8 HR, 28 RBIs, 36 SB); SS Hannah Aungst, jr. (.338, 40 R, 12 2B, 22 RBIs, 16 SB); 1B Madison Shiffer, sr. (.468, 5  HR, 48 RBIs); RF Addison Zimmerman, sr. (.409, 22 RBIs); P-DP Jamie Dinger, soph. (.361, 3 HR, 23 RBIs; pitching — 11-1, 0.78 ERA); C Tailyn Bohr, jr. (.343); P-DP Chelcy Clark, soph. (.353, 1 HR, 21 RBIs; pitching — 14-1, 1.94 ERA); 3B Meadow Umbenhauer, soph. (.292, 22 R)

Fun Facts: Cardinals have just two seniors in starting lineup. … Dinger and Clark have formed a formidable pitching duo. They’re often used in the same game. Against Kutztown, Dinger started, and Ryan Leffler made four pitching changes. The experience they gained as freshmen provided a great foundation for their growth in the circle. … Callee Leffler, a Florida State recruit, must get on base for Pine Grove’s offense to operate at its best.

About Mid Valley 

Nickname: Spartans

Head coach: Michael Piercy

How they got here: District 2 champion ousted District 4 runner-up Hughesville 6-1 in first round and pounded District 12 champion Nazareth Academy 13-2 in five innings in quarterfinals.

Key players: P Ava Hazleton, soph. (22-3, 1.34 ERA, 135.1 IP, 52 BB, 222 K); Abbey Mackey, jr. (.435, 26 R); Elise Larson, sr. (.425, 36 R, 4 HR, 30 RBIs); Parker Bennett, soph. (.443, 35 R, 2 HR, 22 RBIs); Mackenzie Adolfson, sr. (.431, 11 HR, 50 RBIs); Natalie Hricenak, jr. (.413, 3 HR, 16 RBI); Krista Cortazar, sr. (.373, 6 HR, 33 RBIs)

Fun Facts: Spartans rarely strayed out of District 2 for their games this season, but the district plays good softball. … Losses are 1-0 to Tunkhannock, 7-6 and 7-5 to Holy Cross. … Balanced mix of sophomore ace pitcher and some senior sluggers. … Listed as having made just 10 errors all season.

Game Notes / Breakdown

Two more frequent qualifiers for the state playoffs. Last season, Mid Valley won the District 2 title and went 21-2 overall. Loyalsock downed the Spartans 4-2 in first round of state playoffs. … Pine Grove is in the state playoffs for the first time since its state championship season of 2019. … Pine Grove may be down in a game, but it’s never out. Rallied for six runs in seventh inning to extend game against Kutztown. Then Cards erupted for four more runs in the 10th. They also rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat Palisades 2-1 in the District 11 final. … Mid Valley is really good, but if Pine Grove pitches and plays defense like it can, the Cardinals will be in the ballgame and have a chance to advance. … The keys at the plate will be getting good bunts down, hitting strikes and laying off riseballs. … Game will be played on artificial turf. Pine Grove plays most of its games on grass and dirt but did see action in a few games at North Schuylkill’s Dot Seidel Field.