FAYETTEVILLE — It may have seemed to Carlisle that the first inning would never end.

After the Thundering Herd went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Chambersburg sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the first and scored nine runs. The Trojans eventually closed out Carlisle in the fifth inning for a 12-1 victory in a quarterfinal game of the District 3 Class 6A softball tournament at Norlo Park on Thursday.

Karley Skultety

Next up for the Trojans (18-3) is a semifinal matchup against rival Central Dauphin (14-3) on Tuesday back at Norlo Park at 4:30. Chambersburg clinched a PIAA Tournament berth with Thursday’s win.

“We had great focus in the first inning and we took advantage of their mistakes and walks,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “Good teams always make you pay for them.”

Carlisle starter Molly Renninger faced the first eight batters in the first and seven scored — four walked, two produced hits, one reached on an error and one made an out. Alexa Kline relieved and gave up two more hits and two runs.

Skultety said, “I thought the whole group played well, taking pitches and being patient.”

An error put Bree Paetow on second base to lead off, and Karley Skultety walked. A solid base hit to left field by Sam Paetow brought in her sister, and Skultety came home when the ball got past the leftfielder. After an out, Saleen Null and Morgan Lehman walked to load the bases.

Malia Cramer came through with a single to drive in the third run, Null scored on a wild pitch and Brooke Leedy walked to load the bases and bring in Kline.

Malia Cramer

Lauren Allison produced a soft, but well-placed base hit to make it 5-0, and another run scored on Bree Paetow’s fielder’s choice to shortstop. With the bases loaded, Karley Skultety came up and lashed a a triple down the right -field line, cleared the bases and make it 9-0.

Karley Skultety said, “I just wanted to keep the inning going, and I was trying to take something to the opposite field. That way even if they caught it, it would have scored a run.”

The Trojans didn’t score again until the bottom of the fourth. Kline started the inning and gave up a single to Sam Paetow. Courtesy runner Josey Snavely moved up on a passed ball and when Addison Gsell flew out to deep center, she raced to third. When the throw to third went long, Snavely scored.

Kline walked Lehman and the Herd coach then inserted Renninger back on the mound. She walked Cramer, Brooke Leedy singled to load the bases and pinch-hitter Marley Onomastico served a two-run single to center.

The benefactor of all of that offense was Chambersburg pitcher Kori Leedy. She pitched a solid game, going five innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, no walks and six strikeouts. Of her 67 pitches, 50 were strikes.

“It was nice to have that big cushion, but I have to keep the same mentality,” Leedy said. “I know the defense has my back. What’s helped is that since we had that condensed schedule with all of those games (at the end of the regular season), now we have time for some practice and rest and I feel stronger for the postseason.”

Coach Skultety said, “Kori’s been very consistent pounding the strike zone. She’s limited her walks and lets the defense play behind her. She’s a calming influence on the mound.”

NOTES: Carlisle (14-7-1) scored its run in the second on a single by MacKensie Lilley, a sacrifice bunt by Renninger and a base hit by Callie Culbertson …For the Trojans, Sam Paetow and Cramer each had two hits … The other Class 6A semifinal game Tuesday is Warwick (18-4) at Cumberland Valley (20-1) … Chambersburg and CD split two games this year, with the Rams winning 12-10 at Norlo.