WPIAL Class 4A softball final

3-Mt. Pleasant (15-4) vs. 1-South Park (18-1)

2:15 p.m. Thursday at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.) University, California

On the air: Audio: Trib HSSN. Video: NFHS

WPIAL championships: Mt. Pleasant 2 (2021, 2016); South Park 1 (2003)

Mt. Pleasant (15-4)

Coach: Paul Reho

Projected starting lineup

30, Sadie Poole, LF, fr.

33, Chloe Borelli, SS, fr.

12, Jenna Whipkey, 1B, so.

18, Danica Trainer, P, jr.

22, Kendra Brunson, DP, jr.

1, Kendall Waters, CF, jr.

21, Emma Miller, C, fr.

7, Carly Surma, RF, sr.

9, Autumn Jurkovic-Kuzma, 2B, jr.

How they got here: After a first-round bye, Mt. Pleasant defeated No. 6 Burrell, 9-4, in the quarterfinals, and No. 7 Keystone Oaks, 3-2 (eight innings), in the semifinals

Notable: Mt. Pleasant, a perennial playoff contender, returned to the finals for the first time since 2021 with a 3-2 win over Keystone Oaks in eight innings. Borelli knocked in the winning run with a two-out RBI double. Mt. Pleasant was outhit 7-4 but remained patient after losing a 2-0 lead and sitting through a one-hour lightning delay. Carly Surma had a double and a triple for the Vikings. Danica Trainer pitched a complete game, struck out six and did not issue a walk. The Vikings are 15-0 against 3A competition this season. Brunson is hitting .492 with 31 hits, four homers and 21 RBIs. Whipkey (.419) and Trainer each have 17 RBIs. Borelli (23 RBIs, 17 runs), Sadie Poole (.418, 25 runs) and Emma Miller (.400, 15 RBIs) have made an instant impact as freshmen. Trainer is 13-4 with a 2.94 ERA and 98 strikeouts.

South Park (18-1)

Coach: RJ Matetic

Projected starting lineup

13, Sydney Dubyak, SS, sr.

25, Sydney Sekely, P, sr.

36, Grace Kempton, 1B, sr.

23, Emma Hays, C, so.

7, Kristina Polk, RF, so.

10, Kaitlyn Mattas, LF, sr.

33, London Lattora, DP, so.

5, Paige VanDyke, 3B, fr.

9, Addison O’Connor, 2B, fr.

12, Layla Pacifico, CF, fr.

How they got here: After a first-round bye, South Park defeated No. 8 Avonworth, 2-0, in the quarterfinals, and No. 4 Ellwood City, 2-0, in the semifinals.

Notable: South Park also won its section with a 10-0 record. The Eagles have allowed 20 runs all season. Their only loss was to Class 6A No. 1 seed Hempfield, 7-6 in eight innings. The loss snapped a 49-game, regular-season winning streak. Sydney Sekely is an all-state pitcher who has committed to Gannon. She tossed a one-hitter and struck out 20 in a 2-0 win over Avonworth in the quarterfinals. She is 16-1 with a 0.41 ERA, 203 strikeouts and 19 walks. In the semifinal win, Emma Hays (.490, 25 RBIs) had two hits, including a home run, and two RBIs. Sekely also bats .516 with 21 runs and 18 RBIs. Grace Kempton has a .466 average with 27 hits and 23 RBIs. The Eagles have lost to Mohawk the last two years in the WPIAL final. … Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs. The winner will play a subregional winner between teams from District 9 and 10. The loser gets the loser of the same subregional. The state tournament opens Monday.