CATONSVILLE — WVU Potomac State rode the pitching of Abby Peace and the bat of Alexis Bailey to a 9-0 rout of Chesapeake in five innings Friday.
The Catamounts (42-3), winners of nine straight, advanced to the Region 20 championship game at noon on Saturday with the victory.
Potomac State is in prime position to capture another region title in its quest to get back to the NJCAA Division 2 World Series for the second year in a row.
The Catamounts, ranked No. 19 in the country and the top seed in Region 20, will need to be beaten twice Saturday. PSC went unbeaten in region play this year (14-0).
Peace improved to 21-0 with the victory and came just one out away from a five-inning perfect game. She allowed just one hit, an infield single, and struck out 12.
The freshman right-hander from Berryville, Virginia, tossed an immaculate inning in the third, striking out the side on just nine pitches.
She has a 1.01 ERA with 248 strikeouts in 131 1/3 innings pitched so far this season.
Bailey hit one three-run homer and a two-run bomb. Peace went 1 for 2 with a double and two RBIs. Ashley Joll was 1 for 3 and drove in a pair, and Alexa Shoemaker doubled.