FAYETTEVILLE — A very strange season came to an abrupt end Thursday afternoon for the Chambersburg softball team.

The Trojans zoomed to a 12-0 record, averaging more than 12 runs per game. But in the final eight games, Chambersburg scored fewer than two runs per game and lost six of them, including a 4-2 verdict to rival Central Dauphin in a District 3 Class 6A quarterfinal game at Norlo Park.

Alyssa Brechbill

The Trojans held a 2-0 lead after six innings and pitcher Kylee Miller was looking strong, having allowed only one hit and four baserunners. But in the top of the seventh, Miller walked the leadoff batter and the Rams struck for five hits to put four runs on the board.

“That leadoff walk hurt,” Chambersburg coach Chris Skultety said. “Kylee has been phenomenal all year and she’ll learn from that.”

What made the difference was that the Trojans did not get enough hits in key situations.

Chambersburg had two runners on in the second with two outs and struck out against CD pitcher Stella Gasper. It had the bases loaded in the fifth after it scored its two runs and suffered a strikeout. And, in the bottom of the seventh, the Trojans filled the bases on a double by Alyssa Brechbill, a walk to Sam Paetow and an error, but the game ended on a strikeout and a sharp grounder back to Gasper.

Skultety said, “The big hits to break the game open just haven’t happened for us in the second half of the season.”

Central Dauphin (15-6), which will play No. 8 seed Manheim Township (13-9) on Tuesday in a semifinal (the Streaks upset No. 1 Central York), did got the big hits when they needed them.

CD put two runners on with one out in the first, and then didn’t threaten again until the seventh.

Miller walked leadoff batter Emma Wonsick, then got an out on a fielder’s choice. But Nicole Sellers singled, then a drive to centerfield by Allie Wenrich was misjudged, resulting in a double and a 2-2 tie. A single to right by Macey Fisher brought un Wenrich with the go-ahead run.

After another single by Gasper and an out, then came a play that Skultety thought was huge. Mackenzie Fisher singled to left field and courtesy runner Macey Fisher set sail for home from second. Leftfielder Kenzie Boyd relayed to Brechbill at shortstop, her throw home clearly beat the runner and Paetow applied the tag.

But the umpire made no obvious call of out or safe, eventually signaling that the runner was safe because of catcher’s obstruction.

“That was a horrible call, — I don’t know what else Sam could have done,” Skultety said. “If we’re down only a run, that changes how we play the seventh (after Brechbill’s leadoff double).”

Chambersburg’s two runs came in the fifth, after a leadoff walk to Ashli Ganoe and two outs. Brechbill singled to left. Boyd then grounded a single into right-center, scoring Ganoe. An intentional walk to Paetow (who had doubled off the fence in the first inning) loaded the bases. Abby Newman hit a hard grounder that the shortstop couldn’t come up with and Brechbill scored.

The Trojans, who finished 14-6, lose four seniors — Brechbill, Boyd, Katelin Secrist and Alexis Reichelderfer.

“I thank those seniors for four amazing years and wish them nothing but the best,” Skultety said. “Even though we didn’t finish the way we wanted, the girls gave us everything they have. We just had some really bad breaks — sickness, injuries, and bad luck — like I haven’t seen in our six years here.”

                              Central Dauphin 4, Chambersburg 2
Central Dauphin                                              Chambersburg
                                        ab  r  h  bi                                                     ab  r  h  bi
Loser ss                         4   0   0   0                  Brechbill ss                4   1   2   0
Mack.Fisher 3b            4   0   2   1                  Boyd lf                        4   0   1   1
Meg.Fisher c                 2   0   0   0                  Paetow c                    2   0   1   0
Wonsick lf                     3   1   0   0                 Allison cr                    0   0   0   0
Paul dp                          3   0   0   0                  Newman  dp             3   0   0   0
May.Fisher rf                0   0   0   0                 Miller p                       0   0   0   0
N.Sellers 1b                  3   1   1   0                  Null 3b                        2   0   0   0
Wenrich cf                    3   1   1   2                  Reichelderfer cr       0   0   0   0
Maca.Fisher 2b            3   0   1   1                  Slimmer ph                1   0   0   0
K.Sellers cr                   0   1   0   0                   Leedy rf                     2   0   0   0
Gasper p                        2   0   1   0                  Stockslager rf            2   0   0   0
Ganoe 2b                    2   1   0   0
Secrist 1b                  3   0   0  0
Benedict cf               2   0   0   0
Skultety ph               1   0   0   0
Totals                           27   4   6   3                   Totals                       28   2   4   2
Central Dauphin       000   000   4   —   4
Chambersburg          000   020   0   —   2
E — CD 3; Chbg 1. LOB — CD 6; Chbg 9. 2B — Wenrich; Paetow, Brechbill. SB — Boyd. CS — Gasper.
Central Dauphin Pitching
                                          ip  h   r   er   bb   so
Gasper (W)                      7   4   2    1     5     9
Chambersburg Pitching
Miller (L,11-6                  7   6   4    4     4    5