One game was a pitcher’s duel and the other was a slugfest.
Caravel Academy and Sussex Central High took different but equally rewarding routes to the DIAA Softball Tournament title game May 27 on the University of Delaware diamond.
Kaley Arrowsmith threw a no-hitter in the second game of the semifinal double-header as Caravel nipped Sussex Tech 1-0.
Sussex Central outscored Lake Forest 12-10 in the first game.
Caravel and Sussex Central will be familiar foes in the May 29 title game at 7 p.m. back at UD.
Tickets can be purchased at https://bluehens.evenue.net/signin?continue=%2Fevents%2FDIAA.
The Bucs will be in their 25th state softball final and seek their 16th title and an unprecedented sixth in a row.
The Golden Knights have been in 10 title games and won three, the last in 2008.
The two have squared off seven times in the title game, with Caravel winning five, including in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Sussex Central pounded 17 hits, with leadoff hitter Adeline Lutz supplying a single, double and home run. Kelly Kruger and Ava Brock also had three hits. Kimora Harris doubled twice with three RBI and Emma Jackson had a two-run triple.
Regan Rust and Bayli Glanden swatted home runs for Lake Forest, which was bidding for its first trip to the state finals since winning the 1979 title.
Arrowsmith struck out 11. Caravel’s only run came on Abigail Russell’s third-inning RBI single.
That was one of just two hits off Sussex Tech starter Cierra Lewis, who struck out nine.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: They meet again: Caravel, Sussex Central reach DIAA softball final