Indiana won its first WPIAL baseball title last year.

The Little Indians would like to make it two in arow next week.

Indiana reached the WPIAL Class 4A finals for the third consecutive season by defeating Section 3-4A rival Derry, 3-0, behind a combined one-hitter by Shane McHugh and Charlie Manzi.

No. 1 Indiana (17-4) will face No. 2 Elizabeth Forward, which defeated Hopewell, 4-3, on May 26 or 27 at EQT Wild Things Park in Washington at a time to be determined.

Derry (9-10) will battle Hopewell (16-6) for third place and a berth in the PIAA playoffs on May 26 or 27 at Washington & Jefferson’s Ross Memorial Park.

Indiana and Elizabeth Forward qualified for the PIAA playoffs with the wins in the semifinals.

Indiana took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out bases-loaded bloop single off shortstop Parker Petrosky’s glove by No. 9 hitter Ben Cowburn. That scored Manzi and courtesy runner Jace Brocious.

Manzi and McHugh each reached on hits, and Mike Zimmerman loaded the bases with a full-count walk ahead of Cowburn’s hit.

It was the third time this season Indiana defeated Derry.

“That is how we have been playing the last couple of years,” Indiana coach Dan Petroff said. “We are not built to blow teams out, so these close games build us to the next close game.

“We are ready to go every game. Close games do not bother us. We usually pitch it well, play good defense and get timely hits.”

Petroff added that playing a team for the third time within a season is not easy.

“The players knew,” Petroff said. “They respected Derry.”

McHugh was the only player with two hits.

The Indians added their third run in the third inning when Brady Oakes walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on Ethan Shank’s deep fly ball and scored on a wild pitch.

McHugh pitched the first three innings and allowed one Derry baserunner: a single by Liam McMahen in the second inning.

“We were trying to get a few innings from Matt before turning it over to Charlie. He has been lights out lately.”

Manzi, who was credited with the win, tossed four hitless innings. He walked two, hit a batter and one batter reached on an error.

Manzi worked out of trouble in the fourth and fifth innings, getting a double play in the fourth inning.

“We were putting the ball in play, but they made some nice plays,” Derry coach Tom Kelly said. “We could not get a hit when we needed it.”

Derry starter Cason Long, who is committed to play at Shippensburg, settled down after the third inning. He allowed four hits, walked four and struck out seven.

“Cason settled in nicely,” Kelly said, “He came in and stepped up for us.”

Derry had been the talk of the tournament. They entered the tournament seeded 13th and knocked off No. 4 Beaver, 2-1, and No. 12 Hampton, 5-2.

Indiana, the returning PIAA champion, opened the playoffs by edging Knoch, 1-0.

“We have some work to do,” Kelly said. “We must get back in the cage and build up their confidence.”