Woodgrove High School sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the fourth inning on its way to a 13-7 victory over defending state champion Northside in the Virginia AA softball semifinals Friday at Radford University. The win advances the first-year Wolverines into Saturday’s state championship game against a familiar opponent - the Briar Woods Falcons.

Briar Woods scored the final eight runs in an 8-1 victory over Broadway in Friday’s first semifinal game. The Falcons and Wolverines will meet for the fifth time this season Saturday.

The Dulles District teams split their first four games this season - each winning once in the regular season and in the postseason. Briar Woods defeated Woodgrove in the district tournament championship game before Woodgrove returned the favor in the Region II title game.

The winner of the fifth meeting - set for Saturday, 1 p.m. at Radford University - will not only win the season series, but more importantly will take home the coveted Virginia AA softball championship trophy.

“We are in the championship game,” said Woodgrove coach Joe Spicer, who guided Loudoun Valley High School to state championships in 2003 and 2005. “That’s what everyone wants to have a chance for - to be a champion.”

After rallying late to defeat York 2-1 in the state quarterfinals Tuesday, Woodgrove wasted little time in getting its bats going Friday. The Wolverines scored three runs in the first, added two more in the second and then exploded for eight runs in the fourth to build at 13-2 lead.

Woodgrove received quality production throughout its lineup in the win. Freshman Rachel Harris led the Wolverines’ balanced offense with a pair of two-run doubles in the first four innings.

“We string at bats together pretty well and that’s why we’ve done so well this season,” said Wolverines junior catcher Christy Haney, who drove in two runs Friday. “It’s really a team effort. We all came together in that [fourth] inning to get it done.”

Following a lightning delay, Northside showed some fight in the top of the fifth - scoring five runs to pull within six.

“They are a champion and champions don’t quit. We got a big lead but then they got a chance to get their breath back,” Spicer said. “I told the kids that they were not going to quit and they sure didn’t.”

While the Woodgrove bats never regained their rhythm after the delay, junior pitcher Allie Reid was able to hold Northside scoreless in the final two innings to preserve the 13-7 victory.