Williams Valley pitcher Sage Smeltz and catcher Quin Smeltz chat between innings of the PIAA Class AA first-round game against Halifax on Monday. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

PIAA Softball Playoffs

Quarterfinal Preview Capsules

Class AA

11-1 Williams Valley (22-2) vs. 1-1 Bristol (18-1)

When: Thursday, 4 p.m.

Where: Exeter Township HS, Reiffton

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, Bob Lipsky on color commentary)

Up Next: Winner faces either 4-1 South Williamsport (16-5) or 6-1 West Shamokin (20-4) in Monday’s state semifinals.

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 Monday’s first round.

Key players: SS Ella Kobularik, jr. (.486, 41 R, 21 RBI); CF Kayla Hand, sr. (.375, 40 R, 24 RBIs); P Sage Smeltz, sr. (.547, 6 HR, 47 RBIs; pitching — 14-1, 1.52 ERA); C Quin Smeltz, jr. (.465, 3 HR, 34 RBIs); 1B Audrina Fry, sr. (.500, 2 HR, 24 RBIs); 3B Olivia Hand, soph. (.377, 1 HR, 23 RBIs); DP Ally Underkoffler, sr. (.558, 25 RBIs); 2B Cierra Brill, fr. (.306); RF Delaney Bixler, jr. (.344); LF Miley Mahoney, sr. (.306)

Fun Facts: Sage Smeltz holds Williams Valley career records for hits (147), RBIs (143), pitching wins (48) and strikeouts (399). … Smeltz pitched a no-hitter in the first-round victory over Halifax … Team hitting .423 with on-base average of .513. … Only two losses of the season to PIAA Class 3A quarterfinalist Pine Grove.

About Bristol

Nickname: Warriors

Head coach: Dave Chichilitti

How they got here: District 1 champion routed District 12 champion Philadelphia Academy Charter 15-0 in three innings in Monday’s first round.

Key players: Amirah Bell (.705, 43 H, 41 R, 22 SB); Peyton McClain (.548, 32 RBIs); Luciana Snyder (.540, 3 HR, 36 RBIs); Brianna Slack (.492, 4 HR, 29 RBIs; pitching — 13-1, 1.24 ERA, 73.1 IP, 26 BB, 109 K); Aubrey McIlvaine (5-0, 0.68 ERA, 20.2 IP, 2 BB, 17 K)

Fun Facts: Plays in the Bicentennial League Independence Division. League isn’t particularly strong aside from Dock Mennonite, which is in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals. … Located 22 miles northeast of Philadelphia. … Only loss of the season was 3-1 to District 1 Class 5A champion Marple Newtown.

Game Notes / Breakdown

A matchup of two programs that are frequent participants in the state playoffs. Last season, Bristol defeated MaST Community Charter 18-0 in the first round before bowing out with a 6-4 loss to South Williamsport in the quarterfinals. … Meanwhile, Williams Valley topped Elk Lake 10-4 before dropping a 13-2 decision to Bald Eagle Area, which is in the Class 3A quarterfinals this season. … Both teams have prolific offenses, so pitching and defense will be key to keeping their respective teams in the game. If you give Bristol or Williams Valley extra outs in the field or walks at the plate, you’re going to be in trouble. … Vikings will look to regain their power stroke; they’ve had just one extra-base hit in the last two games. They’re due to break out. … Williams Valley must find a way to keep Amirah Bell off the bases. The speedstar makes the Warriors go. … Bristol has a .467 team batting average and made just 11 errors all season. … Limiting mistakes and taking advantage of scoring opportunities will be keys to victory.

Class 3A

11-1 Pine Grove (24-2) vs. 3-2 Kutztown (23-4)

When: Thursday, 2 p.m.

Where: Exeter Township HS, Reiffton

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 12-1 Nazareth Academy (10-5) or 2-1 Mid Valley (21-3) in Monday’s state semifinals.

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 Monday’s first round.

Key players: CF Callee Leffler, jr. (.562, 57 R, 8 HR, 28 RBIs, 35 SB); SS Hannah Aungst, jr. (.361, 39 R, 12 2B, 22 RBIs, 16 SB); 1B Madison Shiffer, sr. (.472, 4  HR, 46 RBIs); RF Addison Zimmerman, sr. (.422, 22 RBIs); P-DP Jamie Dinger, soph. (.333, 3 HR, 22 RBIs; pitching — 11-1, 0.57 ERA); C Tailyn Bohr, jr. (.333); P-DP Chelcy Clark, soph. (.350, 1 HR, 17 RBIs; pitching — 13-1, 1.84 ERA); 3B Meadow Umbenhauer, soph. (.309, 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. The experience they gained as freshmen provided a great foundation for their growth in the circle. … Leffler, a Florida State recruit, has torn it up in the playoffs.

About Kutztown

Nickname: Cougars

Head coach: Kevin Conrad

How they got here: District 3 runner-up outslugged District 4 champion Loyalsock 11-10 in Monday’s first round.

Key players (statistics, grades not available): P Brianna Bauscher, CF Sadie Berger, SS Jayden Gehris, C Felicia Oldt, RF Jade Fitzgerald, 1B Kourtney Dietrich

Fun Facts: Cougars play a tough schedule, both in and out of the Berks League. … Losses to Northampton, Palisades, Northwestern Lehigh and Susquenita. … Located 24 miles from game site in Exeter Township. … Defeated North Schuylkill 13-12 on March 17. Spartans hit around Bauscher, while Oldt homered, Berger had three hits and three runs scored, and Dietrich had three RBIs.

Game Notes / Breakdown

Two more frequent qualifiers for the state playoffs. Last season, Kutztown fell in the first round, 2-0 to eventual runner-up Juniata. … Pine Grove is in the state playoffs for the first time since its state championship season of 2019. … Kutztown won Berks League championship with 5-2 victory over Twin Valley, which in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals. … Pine Grove rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat Palisades 2-1 in the District 11 final, then turned back Trinity in the first round of states. … Callee Leffler needs to continue to get on base and lead the way, but it’s going to take others to step up, too, to defeat Kutztown. … If Pine Grove pitches and plays defense like it has, the Cardinals will be in the ballgame and have a chance to advance.

Class 4A

11-2 North Schuylkill (18-5) vs. 2-1 Valley View (21-2-1)

When: Thursday, 2 p.m.

Where: Wilkes University

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 1-1 Interboro (21-2) or 11-1 Northwestern Lehigh (21-3) in Monday’s state semifinals.

About North Schuylkill

Nickname: Spartans

Head coach: Jack Flynn

How they got here: District 11 runner-up outslugged District 12 champion Conwell-Egan Catholic 16-13 in Monday’s first round.

Key players: P-INF Brigid Flynn, jr. (.493, 3 HR, 29 RBIs; pitching — 10-4, 3.45 ERA); C Lindsay Brouse, sr. (.452, 3 HR, 27 RBIs); 1B Jordanna Frie, jr. (.479, 4 HR, 30 RBIs); SS Gianna Capone, soph. (.443); LF Lyza Holmes, jr. (.400); 3B Mallorie Croker, jr. (.373); P Olivia Jones, jr. (7-1, 1.92 ERA)

Fun Facts: Fairly young team with just three senior starters. … Making deep playoff run under first-year head coach Jack Flynn. … Bashed four home runs in 16-13 victory over Conwell-Egan Catholic in the first round. … Started season 3-2 but has gone 15-3 since.

About Valley View

Nickname: Cougars

Head coach: Mia Wascura

How they got here: District 2 champion edged District 3 runner-up Northern Lebanon 1-0 in Monday’s first round.

Key players: P Taylor Cawley (.514, 14 HR, 47 RBIs; pitching — 14-0, 0.61 ERA, 80 IP, 8 BB, 137 K); Abbi Call (.500, 10 HR, 25 RBIs; pitching — 7-2, 2.62 ERA); Kalli Karwowski (.557, 13 HR, 37 RBIs, 21 SB); Ella Swingle (.462)

Fun Facts: Valley View played rugged schedule against the likes of Parkland, North Pocono, Abington Heights, Thomas Jefferson, Mid Valley, Holy Redeemer and Tunkhannock. … Won at least 20 games in each of the last two seasons. … Beat Jersey Shore 6-3 in last year’s state playoffs before falling to Northwestern Lehigh 6-1 in quarterfinals.

Game Notes / Breakdown

While Valley View has been here before, this is a new experience for this group of Spartans. … The Cougars have big-time power hitters in their lineup. They’ve slugged 52 dingers in just 24 games and are hitting .423 as a team. North Schuylkill’s pitchers have to find a way to keep them in the yard, or at least, if they give up a homer, it’s a solo shot. … Meanwhile, the Spartans need to swing the bat the way they did against Conwell-Egan, preferably early in the game to build some momentum. … Defense will be critical because giving these offenses extra outs is a recipe for disaster.