By about 7 p.m. Thursday we should know who the best softball team in the Mid-Penn Conference really is.
We already know the best teams from the four divisions and that quartet will gather at Big Spring High School on Wednesday for a pair of semifinal games from which the winners will return Thursday to play for the title.
Wednesday's matchups are intriguing.
Keystone Division champ Lower Dauphin (16-5) draws Capital titlist Susquenita (16-2) at 4 p.m. while Commonwealth king Cumberland Valley (18-2) will meet Colonial winner Greencastle-Antrim (15-5) at 6 p.m.
LD-SUSQUENITA:
WHEN: 4 p.m.
COACHES: Steve Alcorn (LD); Jesse Snyder (Susquenita).
This semifinal is a rematch of last year's final won by LD. The Falcons don't have the dominant pitching staff they've had the past few years but Tiffany Grubb and Steph Knaub led LD to a 13-1 conference record and 2-4 non-conference slate.
You'll have trouble finding a better pure hitter than LD first baseman Madison Kotchey; you might have trouble finding a better first baseman, too.
Kotchey is batting. 403, outdone only by Madison Lilliock at .436. Shelby Alcon, Elaine Gross and Grubb also are big contributors to LD's team batting average of .339.
But Susquenita's team batting average is a full 100 points higher than LD's as Nicole Heckert (18-for-28) has a .643 average and Vanessa Hoffman (37-for-52) is at a lofty .635. Kora Ziegler is hitting .463 and Cassie Auxt is at .400.
Pitching depth is an extreme strength for Susquenita as Rachael Sterner has a 1.94 ERA in her team-leading 36 innings of work. Amber Turpin and Kayla Rhome each have worked 27 innings and have 2.07 and 4.67 ERAs, respectively. Nicole Ebersole has not yielded an earned run in seven innings of relief work.
CUMBERLAND VALLEY/GREENCASTLE-ANTRIM:
WHEN: 6 p.m.
COACHES: Mark DeCarli (G-A); Gregg Williams (CV).
The pairing for the nightcap came about Tuesday night when Greencastle-Antrim scored seven unearned runs in the fifth inning to blank James Buchanan 7-0 and win the Colonial Division bid to the tournament.
Elizabeth Ward (13-5) has handled the bulk of the G-A pitching duties with some help from Kelsey Brewbaker. Brooke Porter has shown ample power-hitting capabilities.
There's little doubt, though, that CV has earned the favorite's role in Newville. The Eagles, ranked first in the District 3 Class AAAA power ratings ahead of Hempfield and Central York, are strong in all categories – pitching, hitting, defense.
Kayla Sullenberger isn't a strikeout-oriented pitcher, but doesn't have to be with Rachel Mumma (2B) and Hannah Edwards (SS) in the middle infield and Taylor Krow (RF), Jill Arnoso (LF) and Summer Keefer (CF) in the outfield. Catcher Kara Holtzman ably handles Sullenberger's offerings behind the plate.
CV is on a six-game hitting streak and has won 16 of its last 17 games. Central York and Mifflin County are CV's only conquerors this season.