New Ulm Cathedral will return to a familiar stage on Friday afternoon. The Greyhounds scored 16 runs and didn’t give up any to advance to the Class 1A state championship and earn the right to play for the program’s seventh state championship.

The Greyhounds beat New York Mills 13-0 in the quarterfinals and shutout Cherry 3-0 in the semifinals.

Pitchers Anny Mohr and Leah Krzmarzick split the shutout and struck out two in the quarterfinals. Mohr turned up the heat in the semifinals. She gave up just three hits, struck out nine and walked only one against Cherry.

Anne Schwarz and McKenna Berdan each drove in three runs for New Ulm Cathedral on the day.

JASON GONZALEZ

The grin behind home plate reminded Valerie Hohol everything was OK. New Life Academy of Woodbury led 1-0, but their lead was in jeopardy with Edgerton/Southwest Christian base runners on third and second base.

Hohol’s catcher, Malorie Giere, keeps the same pleasant look on her face no matter what the scenario. It can be the difference between strikes and balls, she said, and in this case helped produce an inning-saving strikeout in the bottom of the fifth inning of Thursday night’s Class 1A state semifinals at Caswell Park.

New Life Academy responded to Hohol’s and Giere’s defensive save with two more insurance runs for a 3-0 victory and their seventh title-game appearance in the last eight years. They’ll face New Ulm Cathedral in Friday’s finale at 2 p.m.

Amanda Heidmann led the Eagles with four hits, three runs scored and three RBI in their two wins on Thursday. New Life Academy defeated Norman County 11-0 in six innings in the quarterfinals. Hohol struck out 15 and gave up just six hits on the day.

New Life Academy of Woodbury cruised past Norman County 11-0 in six innings in the Class 1A quarterfinals on Thursday morning at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

The Eagles scored three runs in the first inning off a pair of doubles, a single, and an error for the early advantage. They would finish the job with five runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Five players had multiple hits for New Life Academy, led by Amanda Heidmann’s three hits, three runs and two RBI. Pitcher Valerie Hohol gave up just two hits, struck out five and walked three in six innings.

JASON GONZALEZ