Two weeks ago, the Milan High School softball team had never won a regional championship.

After advancing through their first state quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, there’s another thing the Big Reds still have never done at this level: Allowed a run.

A 4-0 win over Saginaw Swan Valley on Friday pushed Milan (32-2) into the Division 2 state championship game against Stevensville-Lakeshore (32-7) at Bailey Park in Battle Creek.

Following up on the one-hitter she hurled in Milan’s 11-0 quarterfinal win over Grand Rapids South Christian, Big Reds pitcher Kat Hoffman threw a five-hit shutout against the state’s No. 7-ranked Vikings.

Milan got to Vikings ace Mackenzie Boehler early, scoring a run in the second inning.

Cheyenne Brierley’s leadoff double to the left-center field fence was the only extra-base hit of the day and just the 14th hit Boehler had allowed in Swan Valley’s five-game playoff run.

The Big Reds would finish with nine hits and score the first two earned runs Swan Valley (39-3) has allowed in the postseason.

Milan’s first run wasn’t earned, but it proved to be the game-winner. After the double, Brierley moved to third on a Krista Hoevemeyer fly out and scored on a Swan Valley fielding error off the bat of Mackenzie Quinn.

“We haven't had to play from behind much this year and we wanted to get off to a good start against them,” said Hoffman, who also led the Big Reds offense with three hits.

“It's nice to jump out and get that cushion because things can change so quickly. It also gets you an advantage to how you play in the field and at the plate. I got great run support today.”

With Hoffman in control - she struck out four and didn't allow a Swan Valley baserunner past second base - the Big Reds didn’t need the three insurance runs they’d add in the fifth inning.

Hoffman and Kirsten Plasters led off that inning with back-to-back singles and they moved up to second and third base on a Vikings' defensive miscue. A Vanessa Garcia sacrifice fly scored Hoffman and Nena Doran drove in Plasters.

Brierley wrapped up the day’s scoring with a bloop single to right. (Boxscore)

Swan Valley had eight runners on base during the game, but couldn’t move any of them around despite some aggressive baserunning. Veteran coach Tom Kennelly used three different pinch runners and the Vikings stole to bases.

“We got runners on offense, but we couldn't get the key hit,” Kennelly said. “I don't know if we were tight or what.”

Stevensville-Lakeshore reached Saturday's 3 p.m. title game with a 3-2, eight-inning win over Livonia Ladywood in Friday's other semifinal.

Haley Thibeault hit a walkoff home run with two outs in the bottom of the inning. It was Thibeault's only hit of the game, though the Lancers collected 10 hits as a team.

The Saginaw News contributed to this report.