Senior second sacker C. J. Miller’s two-run homer and the customary shutout pitching of senior Mallory Teunissen were the highlights of Wayland’s 2-0 triumph over St. Joseph in the Division 2 softball quarterfinals Tuesday.

The Lady Wildcats, 34-2 overall for the season, now will play at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the state semifinals at Michigan State University against St. Clair, a surprise 17-0 winner in the quarterfinals over Center Line. Frankenmuth and either Portland or Carlton Airport will play in the other semifinal Thursday.

It will be Wayland’s second straight final four appearance.

Teunissen blanked the Bears, scattering five hits, walking none and striking out seven. She finished the regular season with a microscopic earned run average of 0.15 and has allowed just two runs in the the five post-season tournament games thus far.

The contest was a scoreless tie until the sixth when Morgan Teunissen, Mallory’s sister, came up with a single and Miller followed with the two-run shot that made the difference in sending the Lady Wildcats to East Lansing once again. Miller also homered last Saturday in the regional semifinals in an 8-0 victory over Spring Lake.

Wayland managed only three base hits in the contest.

PHOTOS: It was the pitching of Mallory Teunissen (left) and the hitting of C.J. Miller that propelled Wayland into the Final Four Thursday at MSU. (Photos courtesy Kenny Ritz)