By Jim Henry

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Bella Ascanio scattered four hits as fifth-seeded St. Mary’s Colgan blanked top-seeded Dexter/Cedar Vale 7-0 Friday afternoon in a Class 2-1A softball semifinal game at Arrocha Ballpark in Rock Chalk Park.

The Panthers (26-3) advanced to the state championship game against Mission Valley (29-2), which defeated Uniontown 2-0 in the second semifinal.

Ascanio struck out 11 batters and walked three while throwing 134 pitches, 81 for strikes.

Ascanio and the Panther defense kept the Spartans (28-3) scoreless for the first time this season and ended their 12-game winning streak. The Spartans scored at least 10 runs in 23 games.

“Bella is a dog; I’ve said it all season,” Panthers coach Cassie Rhuems said. “And she has a great defense behind her. Kylee Kretchmar does a great job behind the plate for us. I wouldn’t take anyone else. The people playing behind Bella, they’ve gained confidence as the season has gone along.”

Dexter/Cedar Vale’s best scoring chance came when the game resumed after Thursday’s suspension. The Spartans had runners on first and second with one out, but Ascanio retired the next two batters on popups to shortstop Kara Osborn.

“It was extremely important,” Rhuems said. “I thought it gave us confidence. I thought it really built our confidence. We show up with runners on first and second with one out. A lot of teams would have folded right there or come out nervous; we didn’t. We executed really well defensively. I think that gave us a lot of momentum.”

After the first inning, the Spartans only advanced two baserunners past first base.

Colgan scored in the top of the second when Callie Lundy reached on a fielding error, stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch.

The Panthers padded their lead with four runs in the third inning. Brooklyn Barrows led off with a triple over the center fielder’s head, and she scored one out later on Osborn’s sacrifice bunt.

Drew Dayton beat out a roller to the shortstop for an infield hit, and Spartans pitcher Zoe Davidson walked Ascanio and Lundy to load the bases and Addie Morris, Kylee Kretchmar and Addie Bettega to force in runs.

“The hitters did a great job,” Rhuems said. “They actually got their ace pitcher pulled. That’s what good hitters do. We want them to be aggressive, but you have to be disciplined at the same time. There’s a reason they are playing for the title. It’s all the things they’ve learned throughout the season.”

Colgan’s speed on the basepaths produced a run in the fourth. Osborn was hit by a pitch with one out, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Dayton then walked and continued to second base, and Osborn hustled home on the play.

In the sixth, Osborn and Dayton singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Ascanio dropped a bunt up the first-base line that pitcher Teagan Pingrey picked up but did not make a play as Osborn scored.

The Panthers finished with six hits, including two singles by Dayton, a triple by Barrows and double by Kretchmar.

“Yesterday I think we were a little sluggish at the start, maybe a little intimidated,” Rhuems said. “I’m not sure what was going on, but today they came out ready from the get-go. We played tremendous defense behind Bella. Bella gave us a chance like she always does. We executed well, ran the bases well, and we’re playing for a title.”

Gracie Webb had two singles to account for half of the Spartans’ hits.

SM Colgan 014 101 0 – 7 6 0

Dexter/CV 000 000 0 – 0 4 2

Bella Ascanio and Kylee Kretchmar; Zoe Davidson, Teagan Pingrey (3) and Madelyn Lampson. 2B—SMC: Kretchmar; DCV: Pingrey. 3B—SMC: Brooklyn Barrows.