KENNEDY TWP — Instead of the "Leopards," perhaps the Belle Vernon softball team should call itself the "Shutouts."

Belle Vernon pitcher Ashley Nichols has held her opponents scoreless in all three WPIAL Class AAA playoff games this season.

The Shutouts, er, Leopards also have blanked five of their last six opponents.

The latest goose-egg victim was Mars and its pitcher, Monica Glomb, who struck out nine and didn't walk a batter, but was the victim of an anemic offense and suspect defense Thursday at Fairhaven Park in the latest 2-0 win by Belle Vernon, which won its previous two playoff games by the same margin.

"We've struggled all year being able to produce runs," said Mars coach Michele Goodworth. "That's a given fact."

Belle Vernon got an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning and added an earned run in the bottom of the fifth with the help of three singles, the last by Apryl Patterson, to plate Megan Chadwell.

Two runs might as well have been 200 for Nichols, who has been lights out down the stretch for the Shutouts, er, Leopards.

"Our pitcher is feeling a little healthier now," said Belle Vernon coach Tom Rodriguez. "She had some problems with her back earlier (in the season). In fact, I had to pull her out of a couple of games."

Belle Vernon (18-5) started the season 6-5, but has won 12 in a row. In those 12 wins, the Leopards have given up a mere 16 runs.

Belle Vernon also completed the game, which was played in a brisk 1 hour, 14 minutes, without an error.

"Pitching, defense and timely hitting. I told the girls that was what was going to win, and that's what we've been doing," Rodriguez said. "We got some timely hitting today."

Mars, however, did not. The Planets (12-9) managed just three hits against Nichols, but it did have some early opportunities.

The Planets' Kelsey Ferguson led off the second inning with a double, then Caitlyn Cubarney walked, but both were stranded.

Mars also stranded runners in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Four errors doomed the Planets as well.

But the season-long hitting woes reared their ugly head again Thursday. Mars has scored only 45 runs in 21 games this season.

It has left Glomb with little margin for error.

"We actually expected to score today," Goodworth said. "The last two days, we worked really hard on our hitting."

The loss ends Mars' bid to repeat as WPIAL champion, but it doesn't end its season.

The Planets will play Hampton, a 1-0 loser to Elizabeth Forward in the other semifinal game Thursday, at a site and time and on a day to be determined.

It will be the fourth time this season the two teams have squared off. Mars won two of the three regular-season meetings.

The consolation game is small consolation for Mars, which had high hopes of repeating as WPIAL champion but struggled through the regular season with a 10-8 record.

"Because of our record, I don't think many had us even back in this kind of situation," Goodworth said. "We're just very excited to still have a chance to play for a state championship."

Mars 000 000 0—0 3 4Belle Vernon 000 011 0—2 7 0Monica Glomb and Brittany Berkopec; Ashley Nichols and Heather Sellew.

W: Nichols (8 K, 2 BB).

L: Glomb (9 K, 0 BB).

Mars (12-9): Glomb 1B, Kelsey Ferguson 2B, Caitlyn Cubarney 2B

Belle Vernon (18-5): Kayla Nuccetelli 2B 1B, Megan Chadwell 1B, Sellew 2-1B, Apryl Patterson 1B RBI, Ashley Dawson 1B

TBD: Mars vs. Hampton-Elizabeth Forward loser at a site and time TBA