Brielle Thornton introduced herself as a rising varsity star. Emily George showcased speed and power at the perfect time. Loyalsock thundered back after a Tuesday setback and made an impressive comeback, taking down a tough opponent.

Put it all together and Saturday’s Williamsport Tournament semifinals certainly will have a Backyard Brawl flavor.

Thornton threw a two-hit shutout as Williamsport blanked South Williamsport, 15-0 in four innings; George hit a two-run, go-ahead, inside-the-park home run as Montoursville rallied past Union-Endicott, 7-6 and Addi Baroway collected three hits with two doubles as Loyalsock defeated Upper Dauphin in Friday’s quarterfinals at Millionaire Mountain.

The semifinals start at 10 a.m. Saturday with Williamsport facing Mifflinburg in a battle of unbeatens and rivals Loyalsock and Montoursville colliding. Both the championship and third-place game will take place at 2 p.m. The following is a look at all four area games played Friday, including South’s heart-breaking 8-7 loss against Delaware Valley in a consolation game.

Williamsport 15, South Williamsport 0, 4 innings

Thornton, a freshman, made her first varsity pitching start a memorable one, striking out seven and letting just one hit leave the infield. The Millionaires (8-0) erupted for 11 first inning runs and every starter reached base as they continued their strong start.

Thornton had appeared just once in a varsity game this season, but looked like a seasoned pro, retiring eight of the first nine batters she faced, six via strikeout.

“It’s nice to get that experience to see what I can do. Hopefully I can get better by next year, too,” Thornton said. “Practicing with the seniors and people who are going to play in college has helped me focus in even more.”

That showed against South. Thornton locked in from the start and struck out two decorated four-year starters in the first inning. The right-hander stranded two runners in the third, fanned two batters in each of the first three innings and let just two balls leave the infield.

“It’s always big for these girls to get those early reps out there in a varsity game as a freshman, especially as a pitcher when everyone is looking at you. She did a great job,” Williamsport coach Scott Stugart said. “You can never have enough pitching. The confidence she gained should help her moving forward.”

It helps Williamsport (8-0) in both the short and long-term as well. Spotting her fastball well and throwing South off with an effective change-up, Thornton did not allow much contact. And when she did it was often weak contact.

Add in an 11-run cushion to work with after the first inning and a usual happy person had even more reason to smile Friday evening.

“After that first inning, there was no pressure. I felt like I was hitting my spots really well,” Thornton said. “I think I really try my best to be upbeat. I’m a very calm person, so staying upbeat helps and starting like that was a really big help.”

“That takes a little pressure off, especially getting out of that first inning 1-2-3,” Stugart said. “You could just see it. She had a smile on her face and she really relaxed from there.”

Williamsport gave Thornton 11 reasons to stay relaxed in the bottom of the first. The Millionaires sent 17 batters to the plate, generating seven hits while quickly breaking open the game. Mya Ritter belted an RBI triple, Zaelana Minor a two-run double and Brenna Beck, Kate Solomon and Jayda Fink all added RBI singles.

Williamsport entered the game as a heavy favorite against the defending tournament champion, but the coaching staff has focused the team upon playing the same way no matter the opponent. That again paid dividends against South with the Millionaires tacking on two more runs the next two innings and ending it early when Bella Reddy laced a fourth inning walk-off single.

“If anything, the start we’ve had this season might put a mark on you and get teams fired up to play you. It’s good experience for them because that’s what playoffs are,” Stugart said. “You’re never going to win them all but you want to say that you were competitive in every game and that’s what we’re striving for.”

That competitive streak continued shining through in the top of the third when Reddy made an excellent play from right field. After a throw to first was lost in the sun and bounced toward the fence between first and right field, Reddy alertly had already come charging from the outfield to back up the throw.

Because she did, Reddy was in perfect position as South sent the lead runner home from second. Reddy’s strong throw was on target and Ritter made a quick tag, cutting down the runner and ending the inning. It’s those little plays which help produce big wins and Williamsport will try building on them when it faces Mifflinburg, a team which defeated it in last year’s third-place game.

“What a fantastic team they are,” Stugart said. “We played them last year and they put it to us. It will be interesting to see how we play and how far we’ve come.”

Montoursville 7, Union-Endicott 6

A day after going 13 innings at Hughesville in an 8-7 loss, Montoursville (8-3) had to dig deep against Union-Endicott. The Warriors trailed 4-3 entering the seventh but George’s clutch home run highlighted a four-run rally. Freshman Harlee Hagemeyer then showed her exciting potential, closing the game in the seventh and stranding the tying runner.

“It shows how much fight we have. We never give up,” George said. “We know that in close games like this our energy in the dugout can make us do better. One girl gets on base and that just carries onto the next couple of at-bats.”

That is exactly what happened in the final inning.

Freshman Karsyn Stone hit a hard grounder that was misplayed and hustled to second. A day after hitting an inside-the-park home run at Hughesville, George did it again, this time in about a clutch a spot as one can do it.

The count was full when George smashed a deep flyball down the right field line. Off the bat it looked like an easy double, but factoring in George’s blazing speed, one could upgrade that to a triple. George had other ideas and had so much momentum going as she approached third that she could not stop when given the sign.

That speed, as well, as a hook fantastic slide, carried George all the way home and Montoursville led, 5-4.

“I try do that play (slide) a lot. Some people don’t expect that,” George said. “They’re going to try and put a tag on right in front of home, so going around them is the goal.”

George did that well and the next hitters kept passing the bat. Trinity Belle and Kayleigh Sheleman singled, Laney Yonkin dropped a punt, March Manotti hit an RBI grounder, and Avery Stahl roped an RBI single, pushing the lead to 7-3.

George has homered in consecutive games but ironically has never hit a home run over the fence. When one can run like the senior center fielder that does not matter. It’s when George has hit her home runs, too, which has meant so much, each one giving Montoursville a lead.

“I never have hit one over the fence, so I’m trying to get there but we’ll see. As long as I can use my speed to get one it’s all right with me,” George said. “I wanted to hit the ball somewhere hard because I wasn’t hitting it hard in my last couple at-bats.”

In the tournament’s most exciting game thus far, Union-Endicott fought back in the bottom of the seventh. A walk, error, RBI grounder and RBI single made it, 7-6. Hagemeyer, however, stayed cool under fire as did Sheleman. The freshman induced a hard-hit grounder to Sheleman which the third baseman cleanly fielded before throwing to Raigan Fredericks at first for the final out.

Hagemeyer was the third Montoursville pitcher who delivered in tense moments after Yonkin and Stahl did the same. Yonkin struck out eight in five innings, Stahl left the bases loaded in the sixth and the trio of underclassmen stranded 14 runners. Each one also left the bases loaded four times in the last five innings with Yonkin doing so twice.

That earned Montoursville a date with Loyalsock, a team it defeated, 18-1 last Tuesday. The Warriors and Lancers have split four games the past two seasons, so Montoursville understands Tuesday’s win means nothing now and its focus is upon this next game alone.

“I know they’re going to come out eager and hungry,” George said. “We have to come out even more hungry and wanting to win just as much.”

Loyalsock 14, Upper Dauphin 10

Loyalsock built momentum for the rematch and put that Tuesday loss far in the rearview mirror as it defeated both Upper Dauphin and one of District 3’s best pitchers, Miley Yeager. The Lancers collected 11 hits, and Easton Waller threw 5 2/3 innings of sensational softball as they reached the semifinals for a fourth straight year.

Loyalsock scored multiple runs in five of its seven at-bats with Barowy, Waller, Shyla Fulp and Kinsie Philips all producing multiple hit games. The Lancers scored nine straight runs from the third through sixth innings as well, turning a tie into an 11-2 advantage.

“The loss against Montoursville is not indicative of our team,” Loyalsock coach Casey Waller said. “We still have a lot to work on, but it was a nice bounce back to get a quality win against a strong pitcher.”

Waller showed how good a pitcher she is as well. The sophomore right-hander scattered three hits in 5 2/3 innings and struck out 10. Equally impressive, she walked none, struck out 10 and threw 52 of 76 pitches for strikes.

After allowing a first-inning home run, Waller did not surrender another run and grew stronger as the game progressed.

“Easton was lights out today on the mound,” Casey Waller said.

While Waller cooled the Upper Dauphin offense, Loyalsock’s hitters heated up. Barowy and Phillips scorched two doubles and Waller, Fulp and Lydia Kresock also hit doubles. Maddie Wertz added an RBI single and Loyalsock scored three or more runs in each of the last three innings.

Barowy drove in three runs, Kresock two and every player who produced a hit also added at least an RBI.

Yeager struck out 14, but Loyalsock also consistently put together terrific at-bats, made her work and turned strong contact into exciting results.

“Addi and Lydia are starting to swing the bat, along with Mo,” Casey Waller said. “We still need to fill some holes and solidify our lineup offensively, as well as defensively.”

While Loyalsock and Montoursville have split their last four games, the road team won each time. This will be the first time they square off on a neutral field these past two seasons and the winner will be finals-bound.

Delaware Valley 8, South Williamsport 7

South played its best game this season, but Delaware Valley stormed back in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five times and denying it its first win. Molly Olcott’s walk-off single capped the rally, but the young Mounties have plenty to be excited about.

Annabelle Fry took a five-hitter into the final inning, the offense produced throughout the lineup and the defense made some superb plays. South also turned a 2-0 fourth inning deficit into a 7-2 sixth-inning advantage, scoring a run in the fourth, four in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

Mikaiya Hills went 2 for 3 and her two-run single gave South a 5-2 lead. The shortstop also combined with first baseman Dani Brigandi on the game’s best play when she made an Ozzie Smith-like stop up the middle and threw while in the air toward Brigandi. The first baseman stretched like Gumby and kept her foot on the bag, taking what looked like a sure hit away.

Center fielder Maddie Pinkerton added a diving catch and every starter reached base. Lucy Brigandi’s RBI single cut the deficit to 2-1 Abigail Holbrook’s two-run sixth inning single made it seven straight South runs.

The Mounties will play Union-Endicott for seventh place at Noon Saturday.

Quarterfinals

Montoursville 7, Union-Endicott 6

Montoursville 000 300 4–7 8 4

U-E 002 011 2–6 10 4

Laney Yonkin, Avery Stahl (6), Harlee Hagemeyer (7) and Danni Detato. Jocelyn Ramirez, Maddie Pinkerton (1) and Mancini. W–Stahl. L–Ramirez. SV–Hagemeyer.

Top Union-Endicott hitters: Rose 3-4, 2 RBIs. Top Montoursville hitters: Trinity Belle 2-4, R; Kayleigh Sheleman 2-3, 2B, 2R; George 1-4, HR, 2 RBIs; Avery Stahl 1-4, RBI; Julie Friel 1-4, RBI, R; Detato 1-2, 2B, RBI; March Manotti 2 RBIs.

Records: Montoursville 8-3.

Loyalsock 14, Upper Dauphin 10

Loyalsock 200 243 3–14 11 0

Upper Dauphin 200 004 4–10 3 3

Easton Waller and Shyla Fulp. Miley Yeager and Hoffman . W–Waller. L–Yeager.

Top Loyalsock hitters: Addi Barowy 3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBIs, Waller 2-4, 2B, 2R, RBI; Fulp 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2R; Kinsie Phillips 2-5, 2 2B, RBI, 2R; Lydia Kresock 1-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, 3R; Maddie Wertz 1-5, RBI, R. Top Upper Dauphin hitters: Hoffman 2-3, 2 HR, 4 RBIs; Yeager 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs.

Records: Loyalsock 7-2.

Williamsport 15, South Williamsport 0, 4 innings

South 000 0–0 2 3

Williamsport (11)11 2–15 9 2

Emma McLaughlin and Abigail Holbrook. Brielle Thornton and Mya Ritter. W–Thorton. L–McLaughlin.

Top South hitters: Emma McLaughlin 1-2; Jewelana Jasper 1-2. Top Williamsport hitters: Emma Vollman 1-1, 2 BB, RBI, 2R; Brenna Beck 1-2, 2BB, RBI, 3R; Ashlyn Robinson 1-2, 2B, 2 RBIs, 3R; Zaelana Minor 1-1, 2B, 2 RBIs, R; Brynlee Engel 1-1, BB, R; Kate Solomon 1-1, BB, 2 RBIs, R; Bella Reddy 1-2, BB, RBI; Mya Ritter 1-3, 3B, RBI, R; Jayda Fink 1-1, 2 BB, RBI, 2R.

Records: Williamsport 8-0. South 0-8.

Consolation Game

Delaware Valley, South Williamsport

South 000 142 0–7 8 2

Del Val 110 001 5–8 10 5

Annabelle Fry and Abigail Holbrook. Holly Olcott and Sami Baumann. W–Olcott. L–Fry

Top South hitters: Mikaiya Hills 2-3, 2 RBIs, R; Holbrook 1-2, 2 RBIs; Lucy Brigandi 1-3, RBI; Annika Harding 1-3; Emma McLaughlin 1-4; Maddie Pinkerton 1-4; Fry 1-4.

Records: South 0-9.