SOMERS — Perhaps the most difficult question to answer after fifth-seeded Christian Life upset top-seeded Shoreland Lutheran 4-0 in a WIAA Division-3 regional semifinal Tuesday afternoon was whether Brie Tennyson was more impressive in the circle or at the plate.

The Eagles (14-7) probably don’t really care, though, just content to extend their postseason run.

Tennyson went 2-for-4 with three runs scored in the leadoff spot and continued her season-long pitching dominance with 12 strikeouts and no walks while allowing only four hits — including three bunt singles — in a complete-game performance.

The freshman phenom has a whopping 248 strikeouts in 130 innings, an average of 1.9 per inning.

“Pitchers like this make coaches look like brilliant minds,” Christian Life first-year coach Tim Knight said. “She’s also worked at this for a long, long time.

“I can’t begin to tell you the number of hours I’ve seen her practicing in the gym over the past 10 years ... throwing to her dad (Troy) over and over again. She gets what she deserves because she’s worked hard for it — big time.”

Tennyson (14-7) features a four-pitch arsenal, but her “out” pitch is the rise ball, and it continually baffled Shoreland (13-10).

The three-time defending Midwest Classic Conference South Division co-champions hit only one ball out of the infield, Taylor Bahr’s ground-ball single to left in the seventh.

Entering the game, the Pacers had seven losses against Division-1 opponents this season, so they’d definitely faced tough pitchers before. Tim Treder stopped short of proclaiming Tennyson as the best of the best, but the Shoreland coach said, “She’s right up there, and for a freshman she’ll only get better next year and the following two years.”

Tennyson’s outing was a big turnaround from the teams’ mutual season opener March 26 in which she allowed six hits and eight runs (two earned) with four walks and 12 strikeouts in Shoreland’s 8-0 victory.

Tennyson said her team has matured a lot since then and wasn’t intimidated to encounter Shoreland again.

“It was our first game, so we kind of were a little (nervous), but I think that we just knew that we could win (Tuesday),” she said. “We have really good players. We just had to add everything together to make a great game.

“I knew that it was either win or go home, so I just tried my best and gave it all I had. Shoreland’s a great team, but it shows that it doesn’t matter what you’re ranked or anything. Anybody can win.”

Christian Life will play the St. Joseph-Greendale Martin Luther winner in a regional final on Thursday. St. Joseph’s game Tuesday was postponed due to wet field conditions at Little League Park and will be played there 5 p.m today.

The Eagles didn’t waste any time putting the pressure on the Pacers this time, scoring twice in the first inning off Shoreland’s Kathryn Marquardt (13-10).

Tennyson led off with a double, Ashlynn Kelly (3-for-4, one run) followed with an infield single, Jillian Gillmore (1-for4, three RBI) hit an RBI groundout, and Kelly Rintelman (2-for-4, one RBI) singled to score Kelly.

The Eagles’ top four hitters combined to go 8-for-16 with four runs and four RBI.

Christian Life added single runs in the fifth and seventh against Marquardt, who allowed nine hits and all four runs (three earned) with no walks and three strikeouts. Marquardt pitched a complete-game two-hitter in the Pacers’ season-opening shutout of the Eagles.

Shoreland played Tuesday without three senior starters — catcher Brittanny Bahr, left fielder Bekah Sittig and right fielder Alyssa Redlin — who were suspended for violating team rules.

Treder, however, refused to use that as an excuse.

“The girls on the field today gave me their all, and (the loss) certainly wasn’t because of lack of effort,” he said. “... I give (the Eagles) all the credit. When we were able to put it into play, they made some pretty neat defensive plays against some pretty speedy runners. We were definitely outplayed today by Christian Life.”

If Tennyson continues to pitch and hit like she did Tuesday, other teams could soon be making offseason plans like the Pacers.

“This game just definitely pumped us up and gave us the confidence that we need,” she said.