BATTLE CREEK -- The last time the Pioneer High School baseball team took the field, a Miles Sorise two-run home run gave his team an extra-inning win in a Division 1 quarterfinal.

On Friday in Battle Creek, Sorise ended a state semifinal with another two-run blast. But this one came with significantly less drama.

Those two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Pioneer a 12-2, mercy rule-shortened win over Macomb L'Anse Creuse North and put the Pioneers in a state championship game against Southeastern Conference rival Saline.

They'll play the Hornets at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at C.O. Brown Stadium at Battle Creek's Bailey Park.

More Coverage on MLive.com: Boxscore | Live Chat Replay

"I'll take the walk-off in the semifinal, because we advance to the state championship game," Sorise said when asked to rank the significance of the two postseason homers.

"They were both great, but I'm just doing my part to help the team. I'm not going up there thinking home run, just making solid contact. Fortunately, I did."

Things started out rough for the Pioneers when L'Anse Creuse North scored twice in the top of the first inning - helped considerably by some early wildness from Pioneer starting pitcher Jack Scheel.

But L'Anse Creuse North returned the favor in the bottom of the first - when Pioneer scored four runs on one hit and five walks - and Scheel settled down to throw a four-hitter with six strikeouts.

"I was a little rattled, had the butterflies going. But I found my groove after that and relied on my defense to get ground balls," Scheel said.

"Our offense always helps us out, and I didn't have anything to worry about after that (first inning). You pitch a lot better when you don't have any pressure on the mound."

And while Scheel settled into a groove on the mound, the Pioneer (30-12) hitters started earning some runs on their own merit, finishing with 10 hits against three L'Anse Creuse North (22-12) pitchers.

They strung together five singles in a five-run fourth inning - including a two-run single by Alex Kinch - that put them ahead 10-2.

That set up Sorise's game-clincher, which was preceded by a Travis Maezes double. "Jack's been our best pitcher consistently all the way through, but that was probably his worst inning he's had all year long," Pioneer coach Jerry Holley said.

"But after we scored four runs in the first inning, I knew we were in pretty good shape because our kids started believing in themselves again after a little doubt in that first inning. And then we started hitting and it snowballed a little bit."

Snowballed, indeed.

"I definitely didn't think it would be this easy. I thought it would be a close game that we'd have to win with defense," said Pioneer designated hitter Will Nimke, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

"It's huge. It's something we've been waiting for all year, and I can't wait for (Saturday)."

One more game in a storybook postseason run for the young Pioneer team.

"The coaches are always preaching that we're better than we think we are. They kept saying that all through the playoffs and we bought into it," Sorise said. "And we're here right now, in the championship game."

Rich Rezler covers high school sports for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at richrezler@annarbor.com or 734-623-2565.