Before the biggest game of their lives, the Division 3 North semifinals, the St. Mary’s softball players looked calm, dancing to music blaring from speakers.

And despite getting no-hit through three innings, the Spartans (19-4) settled in and defeated Whittier, 5-3, Saturday at Martin Field in Lowell. This is the third time in the last four years (also in 2013 and ’14) that St. Mary’s has eliminated Whittier (20-3) from the tournament.

“This is just my first year playing them,’’ said St. Mary’s coach Paige Licata. “I looked at this as a new situation, but they’ve played them in the past. It was a similar team against a similar team.’’

Senior pitcher Michaela Hamill started for the Spartans and went four innings, allowing five hits and two runs (one unearned). Junior Mia Nowicki came in for the remaining nine outs, retiring eight via strikeout.

“Michaela Hamill has been on a roll and she’s been doing phenomenally,’’ Licata said. “She comes in and throws with a lot of movement on the ball, she’s so hard to hit. [Nowicki] comes in and guns them down one by one. The offset to Michaela to her with her speed is just hard to adjust. After you see Michaela with the movement, then you bring straight heat, it’s hard to adjust.’’

Whittier pitcher Nicole Verrette was dominant early, allowing just one base runner (error) through three innings. In the fourth, the Spartans struck for three runs on two walks and one hit.

Whittier added two runs in the bottom half of the fourth, sparked by back-to-back singles by Lena Faranna and Kayle Hobbs, with one run scoring on a throwing error.

The Spartans saved their best offense for the seventh inning, putting together five hits and scoring two insurance runs.

“Hitting is contagious and it proved again to be true,’’ Licata said. “I think once people begin to start hitting it becomes easier and easier to hit. Our lineup one through nine can hit.’’

The Spartans will play Austin Prep in the sectional final Monday at Martin Field.

Division 1 North

Lexington 5, Central Catholic 3 — Despite jumping out to a two-run lead, Lexington still found itself tied with Central Catholic late in their semifinal matchup. The Minutemen responded with a two-run sixth inning to take the lead for good and advance to the sectional final.

“I think the energy that the girls displayed and our confidence [were keys to the quick start],’’ Lexington coach Mike Ng said. “This team never ever gives up and there’s nothing better than jumping out to a quick start to rattle a pitcher or a team.’’

Central Catholic scored two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Lexington then started the sixth inning with two straight outs before Grace Orcutt singled and moved to third on a Jane Casey-Fleener double. It was one of three straight doubles by Lexington, which plated Orcutt and Casey-Fleener and put the Minutemen up for good, 5-3.

“They’re just a resilient group and, with two outs, to get those extra runs was unbelievable,’’ Ng said of the big sixth inning.

Maggie Oram earned the win for Lexington.

“I think she spun the ball well,’’ Ng said. “She kept them on their toes and, like I said, she’s just a true competitor.

Newton North 7, Concord-Carlisle 6 — Down, 5-0, after two innings, the Tigers stormed back and took the lead on Kira Flegenheimer’s RBI single in the seventh. Newton North (18-4) scored three runs in the top of the seventh and will face Lexington in Sunday’s Division 1 final.

Division 3 North

Austin Prep 6, Essex Tech 5 — The Cougars scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to advance to the final and a rematch with Catholic Central rival St. Mary's.

Globe correspondent Brandon Blom contributed to this report. More highlights on bostonglobe.com/.schools