3-1 Kennard-Dale (25-2) vs. 2-1 Valley View (23-2)

When: Thursday, 1:30 p.m.

Where: Beard Field, Penn State University Nittany Lion Softball Park

Admission: Tickets must be purchased online through Hometown Ticketing. Go to piaa.org, click on the link and find the game you’d like to attend. Cost is $8.

How they got here: District 3 champion Kennard-Dale beat District 12 No. 3 seed Bonner-Prendergast in the first round, 10-0; District 7 runner-up Blackhawk in the quarterfinals, 6-2; and District 10 champion Fort LeBoeuf in the semifinals, 5-2; District 2 champion Valley View defeated District 3 runner-up Northern Lebanon, 1-0; District 11 runner-up North Schuylkill, 6-2; and District 11 champion Northwestern Lehigh, 5-4.

The buzz: Kennard-Dale is making its seventh PIAA appearance (6-6) and had never advanced past the quarterfinals before this season. … The Rams have won seven straight. Coached by Nicole McCleary-Paterson, they won their third District 3 title in program history (1990, 2017). … Eleven of Kennard-Dale’s games this season have been decided by one or two runs. It has a 9-2 record in those games. … Sophomore pitcher Taryn Ashenfelter has a 0.81 ERA with 305 strikeouts in 172.1 innings. She also leads the team in batting at .473 (44 for 105) with 13 doubles, five home runs, 28 runs and 35 RBIs. … Junior Maddie Argiro follows at .449 (40 for 89) with 13 doubles, one triple, one home run, 38 runs and 20 RBIs. Twin sister Addie Argiro bats .396 (36 for 91) with eight doubles, four triples, one home run, 42 runs and 20 RBIs. … Hailey Serruto, the lone senior on the roster, hits .368 (28 for 76) with 19 RBIs. … Valley View rides a 12-game winning streak into the game. The Cougars are making their 14th PIAA appearance (18-11). They won the Class 2A title in 2000, the Class 3A crown in 2013 and finished runner-up in Class 3A in 2012. … Kalli Karwowski leads the attack at .552 (48 for 87) with four doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 46 runs and 37 RBIs. Abbi Call follows at .521 (37 for 71) with six doubles, 15 home runs and 30 RBIs. Taylor Cawley is next at .494 (40 for 81) with five doubles, 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. … In the circle, Cawley is 16-2 with a 0.82 ERA and 148 strikeouts. Call is 7-0 with a 2.81 ERA and 50 strikeouts.

— Scott Walsh