The season was already bordering on magical, but Sam Fischer figured a little extra wouldn't hurt.

Before leaving the house on Tuesday morning, Fischer grabbed a copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" from off her bed to carry around.

The senior shortstop tucked the book under her bat bag at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park as the Simi Valley High softball team prepared to play its CIF-Southern Section Division I semifinal playoff game against Norco.

Paired with Simi Valley's usual solid fundamentals and grit, the good luck charm did the trick.

Designated hitter Ali Mapes drove in the game-winning run and pitcher Amanda Oliveto was backed by a strong defensive effort as top-seeded Simi Valley defeated fourth-seeded Norco 1-0 to advance to the championship game.

The Pioneers (30-0) are just one step away from perfection. They play defending champion Valencia for the title on Friday or Saturday at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

"This was the first time I brought it this season, and I felt like it needed to be here," Fischer said of the final book in the Potter series. "I read parts of it to get myself pumped up and I just wanted to bring Harry to have with us."

Simi Valley will be making its third CIF championship appearance in program history and searching for its second title. The Pioneers made back-to-back trips in 1992-93, capturing the 1993 Division I crown under former head coach Suzanne Manlet, who died of breast cancer in 2004.

Current Simi Valley coach Russ Michael considered Manlet a mentor, and tears welled in his blue eyes as he described the meaning of bringing the program back into title contention.

"Even in my professional days, there is not a feeling like this. It is awesome. I am so thrilled, so excited, so proud," said Michael, staring down at the dirt to compose himself before adding: "It is something that hasn't been done since Suzanne Manlet did it, so I am really thinking it through right now."

Playing its second game in as many days, Simi Valley scored the only run it would need against Norco ace Teagan Gerhart (28-6) with two outs in the fourth inning.

Tawny Reeger sparked the offense by following the first lesson a player is taught in youth ball.

After popping up to first base, Reeger sprinted down the line and began rounding for second. Norco first baseman Jordan Emanuele couldn't locate the ball and it dropped directly on the bag.

Reeger managed to get back to the base safely despite a collision with Norco second baseman Kim Pena.

"Once the ball is in the air, I am always thinking two," Reeger said.

"I heard them calling for a (pinch) runner after I got hit, and I was like, I don't think so. I'm staying in the game.' "

Haley Thomas followed Reeger with a single to left field, and Mapes' drive to center scored Reeger from second base as Reeger just beat the throw home with her slide.

"I just really wanted to continue the trend," Mapes said. "Tawny got a hit and Haley got a hit, and it was my time to step up and do the same."

Oliveto gave up six hits, struck out nine and walked four to improve to 15-0.

The sophomore escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the third inning by getting Norco cleanup hitter Brianna Smith to pop out to right field and another defensive gem from her outfield.

This time it was Simi Valley left fielder Brianna Stephan, who made a great diving catch on a short fly by Vanessa Viloria to end the Norco threat.

"I knew the defense would be there for me, and I just had to take it pitch by pitch. They kept telling me to calm down and relax, but my heart was beating hard every inning," Oliveto said. "All I could ask for was one run, and they got it for me and I gave it my all out there."

Norco (29-6) put runners on first and second in the top of the seventh, but Smith flied out to Reeger behind second base for the final out to send Simi into the championship game against the team that sent it home early from the playoffs last season.

"I can't even tell you what this means," Reeger said. "From Day 1, this team was planning for this and working for it and now we are finally going. It is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."