“When I touched first base, [assistant coach David Stokes] told me, ‘Touch ’em all, 13!’ ” Thompson said. “That’s when it really sunk in.”

The junior, who battled back into Woodgrove’s lineup following offseason surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, produced the team’s third hit of the afternoon to give the Wolverines a win. Coach Joe Spicer’s team entered Friday’s semifinal having allowed just four total runs all season thanks to the arm of senior ace Abbey Lane but fell into an early 3-0 hole Friday. At the plate, the Wolverines didn’t have a base runner until the third inning.

Lane, who struck out 14 batters and held Hanover scoreless for the final four innings, sent a double down the third base line in the fourth and later scored to inch the Wolverines (25-0) closer. Freshman Taylor Harper scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning, but Woodgrove was held scoreless in the sixth and needed a miracle in the seventh to keep its undefeated season alive.

It was provided by Thompson, the team’s strongest bat. After junior Aja Wheeler drew a walk and freshman Abbey Davis bunted the tying run over to second base, the stage was set for the junior’s heroics.

“It just stayed up there and went completely out,” Spicer said. “It’s one of those moments you live for in sports.”

Walk-off grand slam sends Riverside to Class 5 final

Just hours later, in the Class 5 bracket, Riverside pulled off a stunning comeback win of its own. The Rams (23-3) trailed Hickory by two runs with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning but emerged victorious when senior Hailey Peterson hit a grand slam for a dramatic 6-4 win.

“Honestly, it was surreal. … I thought I was dreaming for a minute,” Peterson said. “But I knew the second I hit it, I was like, ‘I get to go run in to my team,’ and that was the best feeling ever for me.’ ”

The Rams will face Kellam on Saturday at Glen Allen High.

Peterson, one of three Riverside seniors, has been put in similar situations many times before. The St. Joseph’s commit said she has stepped up to the plate deep in the seventh inning more times than she can count over her high school career and knew that she needed to make a play with her team’s season on the line.

With her final high school season hanging in the balance, Peterson sent a no-doubt home run over the left field wall on the first pitch of the at-bat to propel the Rams to their first state title game.

Osbourn Park, Battlefield to meet again in Class 6

Battlefield and Osbourn Park won’t need to do much scouting in preparation for Saturday’s Class 6 final. The Bobcats (24-2) and Yellow Jackets (19-7), who both advanced Friday afternoon, have matched up four times this season. The fifth meeting Saturday at Deep Run High will have a state title on the line.

Battlefield, which used a walk-off grounder from sophomore ​​McKenzie Pittman to score two runs and beat Madison, 4-3, on Friday afternoon, knocked off Osbourn Park in each of the earlier matchups. Two of those games went to extra innings; the others were decided by one run.

“We’ve got shirts that say, ‘Refuse to lose,’ ” Coach Mike Corbin said after the Bobcats’ comeback win over the Warhawks. “That mentality they have is unbelievable.”

Osbourn Park senior Sam Borrayo fanned 13 batters in her team’s 7-2 win over South Lakes in the first semifinal, sending the Yellow Jackets to their first state championship game since 2017.

“The job’s not done,” Borrayo said after the win.