Lassen High School hosts Las Plumas for what has been a heated rivalry in the past decade for the semifinals in softball. In what has evolved into a heated rivalry in the past decade resumes in the semifinals of the Northern Section Division III softball championships today.

No. 2 seed Lassen High School (21-12-1) hosts No. 3 Las Plumas (20-12) at 3:30 p.m. at Riverside Park in Susanville for a chance to play for a section title on Saturday, May 19 at Hooker Oak Park in Chico.

The two teams finished in a tie for first place at 8-2 in the Westside League with the Grizzlies defeating the Thunderbirds twice.

"It's tough to beat a team three times in one season. And they are the most well-coached team we play," said Lassen head coach Paul Moore, who led the program to its third straight WSL crown. "But with us beating them twice, our kids know they can beat them."

On the mound, Lassen's Megan Lybarger squares off against Lindsay Rosas. Lybarger has improved tremendously throughout the year, taking a 1.19 ERA and 13-7 record into the game.

"Early in the season Megan had a hard time throwing strikes, but she has found her groove and has really cut down on the walks," Moore said. "And lately she has been outstanding."

Lybarger, a sophomore, went 7-1 with a save in league play, compiling a 0.27 ERA.

As for Rosas, Moore hopes his players have her figured out.

"We had trouble with her early on, but we hit her pretty well the second time we saw her," he said. "The key to her is laying off the high pitch."

Lee Robertson enters the game as Lassen's leading hitter, batting .364. The sophomore set the school's single-season stolen base record with 27 against Orland last week. She swiped one more than Jennifer Nelson in 1995.

Kelly Schlauch is hitting .357 with a team-high 20 RBI. Danielle Bera is batting .317.

If needed against Las Plumas, pitcher Julia Branch takes a 1.27 ERA and 8-5-1 record into today's game.

In today's other semifinal game, No. 1 Enterprise (20-9) hosts No. 4 West Valley (10-17). The Hornets earned the top seed with help of a 3-2 win over Lassen in the Coca Classic in March.

The Grizzlies capped the regular season by falling to Orland 3-2. Bera doubled and drove in two runs. Danielle Swinney and Robertson were 2-for-4.