BETHEL — Top-ranked Telstar rode the exploits of pitcher Kayla Merrill, who fired a three-hitter, and T.J. Cowin added three hits and two RBIs for a 5-1 triumph against No. 5 Mt. Abram in the Western Class C softball semifinal on Saturday.

Top-ranked Telstar (15-1) advances to the regional final for the sixth-straight year. The Rebels will face Georges Valley at St. Joseph’s College in Standish on Tuesday. The Rebels lost 2-1 to Georges Valley in the Mountain Valley Conference championship game last week.

“It’s an amazing feat,” Cowin said. “We’ll be ready for them. Every game is important and today was no exception because we knew we needed to go through Mt. Abram in order to get to the next one.”

Telstar was clinging to a 2-1 lead when it scored three runs in the third inning. Lyndsay James (two hits) led off with a double and Kayla Merrill walked. The Roadrunners shifted their infield over in an effort to silence the Rebels offense, but Cowin negated the ploy by hitting a ball past third baseman Kylie Rolbiecki for a RBI single. Hannah Morin then reached on an error when the ball rolled into right field, scoring Merrill, but Cowin was thrown out trying to score. Morin later scored when Katie Summer reached on an error.

Merrill (15-1) had all the support necessary as the right-hander was quite deliberate. She struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.

“This as a big game for us,’’ said Kayla Merrill, who shut out Mt. Abram twice this season. “My change up was working well because it kept the Mt. Abram batters off balance. I was also successful with pitches high and outside because I knew what the umpire was calling.’’

Mt. Abram scored a run in third on some nifty base running. Dani Smith singled and raced to second when the ball got past the outfielder. Rolbiecki beat out a bunt and stayed in a rundown long enough so Smith could sprint home.

The Roadrunners certainly didn’t have many chances, but the first inning might have set the tone. Rolbiecki led off with a single, and Molly McCafferty laid down a sacrifice. Jillian Withdte hit a ground ball to Telstar shortstop Lyndsay Merrill, who threw the ball to Nicena Walker. But Rolbiecki was called out on the play for interfering with Merrill reaching the ball.

“That’s a game-changing play,” Mt. Abram coach Jeff Pilsbury said. “We had adjusted by shifting our infielders over, but that didn’t work out against Testar’s top hitters. It is really tough to come from behind against Merrill. She does such a good job.”

Telstar took a 2-0 lead on three hits off McCafferty in the first inning. Lyndsay Merrill led off with a double and with one out, Kayla Merrill singled. Cowin delivered an RBI single and Kayla Merrill also scored on an errant throw.

Tasha Farnum had two singles, also.

“Our defense really helped,” Cowin said, who graduated Friday night with teammates James and Sam Largess. “There were some plays made that prevented Mt. Abram from getting something going.”