They went into the PIAA semifinals on Monday expecting a long game but maybe not 13 innings long.

Greater Latrobe nearly had to play the equivalent of two regulation seven-inning games to ensure a return trip to the PIAA Class AAAA title game. Finally in the bottom of the 13th inning the Wildcats were able to outlast Central York to set up a 2 p.m. title game against Hatboro-Horsham Friday at Shippensburg.

"It was a long game but we expected it," Latrobe coach Bob Kovalcin said immediately after his team's marathon semifinal game.

"We scouted this team and we knew they had a good defensive team with good hitting. We are a lot like them. Neither of us are big hitters but we have good pitching and good defense."

Central York pulled off big upsets against District 6 champion State College and District 3 champion Lower Dauphin to reach the semifinals.

Hatboro-Horsham is the No. 2 team out of District 1. It defeated District 1 champion Owen J. Roberts, 12-3, on Monday to reach the title game.

Alexa Bryson, Latrobe's standout pitcher, started the regular season with three shutouts and she has been even more impressive in the playoffs. She shut out North Allegheny, Mt. Lebanon and Shaler Area to claim the WPIAL title, then blanked City League champion Brashear, Shaler for a second time and now Central York to reach the state title game.

The last time she was scored against was more than a month ago when Kiski Area put up three runs in a non-section 12-3 win for Latrobe.

Last year, behind strong defense and Bryson's arm, Latrobe allowed only one run on its way to Shippensburg but Pennsbury denied the Wildcats the state title with a 3-2 win.

"I think going back this second time is more gratifying for the girls," Kovalcin said. "Our girls were a little bit in awe last year of everything.

"I don't think we will be in awe this year and I think it will be a very good game. They have gotten back to where they wanted to go. It's hard to be up at the top the whole season and keep playing at a high level."

"Last year [in the title game] we were really nervous and really tight before the game," Bryson said. "Now we know what to expect and we know it is not going to be a walk-over game."

Many expected a trip to the state title game to be the only way for Bryson to reach 300 strikeouts this season but with a 25-strikeout performance against Central York, Bryson has already reached the milestone.

She was able to work out of jams throughout the game.

Early on in the second inning with nobody out and runners on second and third she struck out the side. In the top of the 11th Bryson had a runner on second with nobody out and got out of that jam.

"I just kept thinking they are going to call this game or somebody is going to fall over," Bryson said of a game played in sizzling 90-degree heat and high humidity especially early on.

"It was probably the hottest in the fifth inning and I felt more tired then that I did in the 13th inning. As the game went on, I realized I couldn't rely on my speed ... I had to go with some off-speed, too. I could have gone a lot longer if I had to."

After going 36 outs without scoring a run, Latrobe did not even need one out in the 13th inning to win the game. Senior Meghan Kozusko opened the inning with a single and then classmate Rachel Eaglehouse reached safely while bunting Kozusko into scoring position.

Another senior, Amanda Malnofsky, also laid down a bunt that was mishandled by Central York and Kozusko came in to break the deadlock and sent Latrobe to the title game.

Latrobe is now 22-2 with its only losses coming in a four-day span at the end of the season against Albert Gallatin and Hempfield. The Wildcats are currently riding a seven-game winning streak.Coming up

• What: PIAA Class AAAA softball championship game.

• When: Tomorrow, 2 p.m.

• Where: Robb Field, Shippensburg University.

• Who: Latrobe (22-2) vs. Hatboro-Horsham (24-2).

• The skinny: Latrobe has not allowed opposing teams a run in six playoff games."Last year [in the title game] we were really nervous and really tight before the game. Now we know what to expect and we know it is not going to be a walk-over game."

-- Alexa Bryson, Latrobe pitcher