FOX CHAPEL — Maddie Gross provided the big hit early. Lexie Hames allowed nothing late.

That combination proved lethal Wednesday afternoon in leading Seneca Valley’s softball team to a 7-2 triumph over top-seeded Hempfield in the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals at Fox Chapel High School.

The fourth-seeded Raiders will face seventh-seeded North Allegheny (13-9) — a 5-1 winner over Pine-Richland in the other semifinal — for the WPIAL title next Wednesday at California (Pa.) University. The two teams split during the regular season.

The victory was the Raiders’ seventh straight and puts them in the district championship game for the first time since 2011. SV has outscored its opposition 90-18 during its current winning streak.

“I knew we were capable of something like this once we put it all together,” SV coach Marlesse Hames said. “There is an incredible amount of talent on this team.”

Gross and Lexie Hames are at the top of that list.

Gross drilled a three-run homer in the top of the first inning and added a two-run single in the fourth. Those hits gave the Raiders (12-6) leads of 3-0 and 7-2 at the time.

Gross hit two homers in her last two at-bats in the WPIAL quarterfinals before homering in her first plate appearance Wednesday.

“I’ve never done anything like that before,” Gross said. “Three straight home runs? No way.”

She has 12 home runs on the season.

“Maddie is a beast at the plate,” Lexie Hames said. “She’s been getting big hits like that for us all season.”

Hames, a freshman, has been the Raiders’ leader on the mound much of the year. When Hempfield’s Hannah Uhrinek — her mound opponent — delivered a run-scoring single up the middle, the Spartans (13-4) pulled within 5-2 with the tying run coming to the plate.

That’s when Hames, the pitcher, did what Hames, the coach, was expecting.

“Lexie simply said ‘no more’ in her mind and that was it,” Coach Hames said.

Hempfield managed only one more baserunner the rest of the way — pinch-hitter Emily Griffith getting hit by a pitch in the sixth — as Hames struck out 10 of the final 15 hitters she faced. After Uhrinek’s single to center, the Spartans did not hit another ball out of the infield.

Hames struck out 15 on the day.

“It’s fun to sit back and watch Lexie do her thing,” Gross said.

“I got into a groove with my fastball and mixed in a little off-speed stuff,” Hames said. “Once I got over the nervousness that comes with starting a game, I settled in and felt good out there.’

The Raider bats did their thing all day, collecting 15 hits. The first five hitters in SV’s lineup — Hayley Walter, Kara Pasquale, Mia Ryan, Gross and Hames — combined to go 11-for-18 and scored all seven runs. Freshman third baseman Bella Gross had two singles and an RBI out of the No. 8 spot in the batting order.

“We just want to keep this rolling,” Coach Hames said. “I feel like we’ve been underdogs all season. We always feel like we have something to prove.”

Uhrinek, a sophomore, pitched the entire game for Hempfield. The Spartans’ regular starting pitcher, freshman Rylie Miller, suffered a broken ankle sliding into a base during the first round of the playoffs.

Coach Hames made sure her team didn’t take the Spartans lightly. Seneca Valley’s win streak started with a 2-1 win over Hempfield in the regular season.

“I knew they had more than one pitcher,” Coach Hames said. “That program breeds pitchers. I made sure our girls knew that team would show up here ready to go. We needed a good start and we got it.”

Gross’ three-run homer in the the first inning was followed by Bella Gross’ run-scoring single in the same frame.

Hempfield coach Tina Madison could not be reached for comment after the game.

Seneca Valley4102000 — 7151

Hempfield1010000 — 262

W: Lexie Hames 7IP (15K, 2BB). L: Hannah Uhrinek 7IP (7K, 2BB)

Seneca Valley (12-6): Hayley Walter 2-1B 2-R, Kara Pasquale 2-1B 2-R, Mia Ryan 3-1B RBI, Maddie Gross HR 1B 5-RBI, Lexie Hames 2-1B, Ainsley McLane 2-1B, Bella Gross 2-1B RBI

Hempfield (13-4): Margaret Howard 2-1B, Olivia Kline 1B RBI, A;lison Cervola 1B RBI, Hanmnah Uhruinek 1B RBI, Sarah Podkul 1B

Wednesday: Seneca Valley vs. North Allegheny, WPIAL 6A final, at California (Pa.) University, time TBD