Glenelg pitcher Bella Wisniewski and catcher Kenzie Robinson found a formula that worked throughout Monday afternoon’s Class 2A state quarterfinal against No. 6 seed Rising Sun. Wisniewski consistently threw high and inside, looking to jam the Tigers’ hitters and get them to pop up.

One strike away from a state semifinal berth, Robinson went to Wisniewski for a mound visit and asked, “What do you want to do? You get to call it.”

After the conversation, Wisniewski returned to the spot that worked all game. She fired a pitch high and inside for a swinging strikeout that cemented Glenelg’s place in the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time in 15 years with a 3-2 win over the two-time defending state champion Tigers.

Third-seeded Glenelg faced second-seeded Huntingtown on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie, a game that ended too late for inclusion in this edition.

“I was just getting goosebumps,” Wisniewski said after the final pitch. “It was crazy. It was such a surreal feeling, and it still doesn’t feel real that we made it this far. So, hopefully we can take it all the way. It was an amazing feeling, just pure joy.”

Glenelg’s offense was kept in check for much of the afternoon with just one hit through four innings. The Gladiators (17-3) chased some high pitches that were outside of the strike zone, unable to solve Tigers’ starter Taylor Stapleford.

Then, in the fifth, Glenelg got the big hit it needed when Addie Pence stepped to the plate. Pence popped out in her first two plate appearances and showed some frustration against Stapleford’s riseball. However, behind 0-2 in the count, Pence didn’t miss a riseball. She rocketed a shot to deep left field that went just past the outstretched glove of the left fielder and scored two runs to break the 1-1 stalemate.

“My approach was that we had two innings left, so someone had to get a hit,” Pence said. “I adjusted, really waited on it and waited for my pitch.”

Rising Sun struck right back in the top of the sixth as it trimmed the deficit to one and threatened with further damage. The Tigers had a runner on second with one out and were looking to extend the rally. Robinson immediately flipped the script and halted momentum. She dropped a pitch from Wisniewski, but then quickly recovered to throw out Bailey Vaughan, who was headed for third.

“I was a little frazzled when I bobbled the ball,” Robinson said. “I trust my third basemen. I trust Audrey Riley with my whole heart. So, I knew no matter what she had her. I saw her halfway and I was just like, ‘I’m going to get her. There’s no doubt in my mind.’ Audrey laid the tag down and I think that was a moment that really lifted our spirits in the game and really helped us keep pushing forward.”

The teams were originally slated to play on Friday but the game was postponed until Saturday because of intense thunderstorms. Then, the field conditions were too wet, so the game got pushed another 48 hours. While that extra wait time admittedly increased the Gladiators’ nervousness and anticipation, it gave Wisniewski valuable off days and time to rest her arm.

Glenelg didn’t have to endure that long wait again, with the semifinal in less than 24 hours. However, the Gladiators wouldn’t have it any other way as they continue to march toward their ultimate goal of capturing the program’s first state title and only second softball state championship in Howard County history.

“I’ve been telling them since we learned that Rising Sun was going to be our matchup, ‘They’re a good team, but so are we, and just have to remember that,'” Glenelg coach Anna Pallozzi said. “Coming in today, knowing that we sent the two-time defending state champion home, I hope it puts a little bit of wind in their sails moving forward. We got another tough game tomorrow with Huntingtown. The goal all season long has been to play Memorial Day weekend, and so we’re one step closer to that goal.”

Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Steinberg at jsteinberg@baltsun.com, 443-442-9445 and x.com/jacobstein23.

RS — 0-0-0-1-0-1-0 — 2

G — 1-0-0-0-2-0-X — 3

WP: Bella Wisniewski; LP: Taylor Stapleford.

2B: G: Addi Pence; RS: Gemma Brand, Bailey Vaughan.