Tooele is back in the finals.

On Thursday night, the Buffaloes defeated the Mountain Crest Mustangs 8-3 in the Class 4A softball semifinals to return to their second straight championship game.

Head coach Steve Snow says his team is clicking on all cylinders.

"I'm really proud of them," Snow said. "We're improving and peaking at the right time."

Kelsey Benson scored for Mountain Crest when she hit a solo home run in the second inning to give the Mustangs an early 1-0 lead. But the long balls favored Tooele, as the defending champions hit two home runs to put the Mustangs away.

Marissa Mendenhall brought Hadli Sorensen and Cheyenne Hegsted home in the third when she hit a three-run homer to give Tooele a 3-1 lead.

Then in the seventh, with Tooele holding on to a 4-3 lead, Sorensen stepped up to the plate and blew the game open with a grand slam over the center-field fence.

Snow says he likes his team's chances in Friday's championship and knows they will be a tough out.

Spanish Fork 9, Salem Hills 4 • After losing in Wednesday's quarterfinal, Spanish Fork came out on fire Thursday when it scored three runs in the first inning en route to a 9-4 win. In a game that saw a combined 19 hits and eight errors, the Dons' dream of returning to the championship is still alive.

Uintah 7, Bonneville 1 • The Utes used 12 hits and four runs in the fifth inning to put an end to the Lakers' season. The bats of Chanel Pace, Maddy Schulz and Keeley Bowthorpe were alive, as all three notched doubles.

Spanish Fork 4, Uintah 1 • The Dons used a healthy dose of defense, great pitching and some early runs to keep their season alive. The win gives them a chance to get even with Mountain Crest, who defeated them 3-2 Wednesday. If the Dons can get past the Mustangs on Friday morning, it will put them in their second consecutive 4A championship against Tooele. —

Friday's schedule

P Semifinal • Spanish Fork vs. Mountain Crest , 10 a.m.

Final • Tooele vs. Spanish Fork/Mountain Crest winner, 12:15 p.m.