WHITEHALL — Following its WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal playoff against West Mifflin at Baldwin High School Tuesday afternoon, the Mars softball squad headed north to attend the team banquet in Warrendale.

Instead of simply reflecting on the 2014 season, the Planets still had a reason to look ahead.

Sophomore pitcher Niki Schlegel hurled a four-hit shutout as Mars ousted the Titans, 1-0.

The Planets (11-4) will face Elizabeth Forward, a 5-0 victor over South Fayette, in a semifinal game Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

“The girls have worked hard all year and they held their composure today,” said Mars coach Michele Goodworth.

Mars' lone run Tuesday was unearned, but it proved to be enough for Schlegel, who has now pitched 11 consecutive scoreless innings.

West Mifflin pitcher Paige Flore was perfect for the first two innings, but walked Mallory Eperesi to begin the third frame. Shelby Huber then put down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first base was low and skipped into foul territory, allowing Eperesi to take third base.

With one out, Jeanna Sybert laid down a bunt of her own, which was fielded by Titan catcher Alyssa Cairns, who fired to first for the out. In the meantime, Eperesi raced home to score the game's only run.

“Looking back, we would have liked to have pump faked to force the runner back to third,” said Titans coach Casey Phillips, “but hindsight is 20/20.”

“I told Mallory before that play not to break for home until she saw the catcher release the ball (to first),” said Goodworth.

Despite being behind on the scoreboard, Flore took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth. That's where Suzanne Papik and Blake Kitt tallied back-to-back singles with one out. A walk to Erin Hershman loaded the bases, but Flore squeezed out of the jam with her team down by just the one run.

“She threw a lot of first-pitch strikes,” Phillips said of Flore. “She had good command of her fastball and did a lot of things to keep us in the game. Credit Mars, they found a way to manufacture a run.”

Schlegel put the finishing touches on the win, setting the Titans down in order in the top of the seventh. Her outing included three strikeouts and no walks.

She also got the win Monday night in a 5-4, eight-inning victory over Blackhawk.

“I wasn't tired. I was ready to go today,” said Schlegel, who was Mars' starting catcher last year as a freshman. “I pitch over the summer for Pittsburgh Pride, so moving from catcher wasn't really a big deal for me.”

The only jam Schlegel faced came in the top of the sixth. With one out, Chelsea Hess and Cairns both reached base with singles. But Amber Cook lined out to Kitt at third base and Crystal Cook's liner was snagged by Hershman in center field.

“We had 15 hits (Monday against Blackhawk), but we also knew that she (Flore) had been pitching very well,” said Goodworth. “So we had a feeling that today could be a 1-0 game. This is the strongest game Niki has had all year.”

The Planets will be making their first WPIAL semifinal appearance since 2007.

“We've made it this far and we just want to keep winning,” said Schlegel.

West Mifflin 000 000 0 — 0 4 1

Mars 001 000 0 — 1 2 1

W: Niki Schlegel 7IP (3K, 0BB). L: Paige Flore 6IP (7K, 3BB).

West Mifflin (17-3): Chelsea Hess 1B, Alyssa Cairns 2-1B 2B

Mars (11-4): Suzanne Papik 1B, Blake Kitt 1B, Mallory Eperesi R, Jeanna Sybert RBI

Thursday: Mars vs. Elizabeth Forward, WPIAL Class AAA semifinal, time and site TBD