SPRINGFIELD — Chambersburg was not daunted by a long trip to start the PIAA Class 6A Softball Tournament.

The Trojans traveled to the Philadelphia area to play their first-round game Monday afternoon, scored five runs in the top of the first inning and breezed to a 16-0 victory in just four innings over Central at Cardinal O’Hara H.S.

Morgan Stockslager

Chambersburg (21-3) will play a quarterfinal game on Thursday against Nazareth (21-6), with site and time to be determined. Nazareth defeated Pennridge 12-3 in the first round.

“Our team came out today with the look in their eyes that we mean business,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “We had a great infield-outfield (warmups) and the other team was watching and looked concerned.

“Jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first was huge and pretty much put the game away right there.”

Chambersburg put the first six batters of the game on base, on hits by Bree Paetow and Karley Skultety, walks to Addison Gsell and Saleen Null and a couple of errors by the Lancers.

The Trojans went quietly in the second inning, but ramped it up again in the third for five more runs, with Morgan Stockslager hitting an RBI triple and Sam Paetow doubling in a run. Central contributed a couple of errors, and Bree Paetow, Jaden Stull and Skultety had singles.

In the fourth, Chambersburg loaded the bases on an error, a walk to Jaden Stull and a single by Abagail Newman. Stockslager ripped a single to left that brought in a pair of runs and Benedict singled in another run. After an out, Skultety produced a triple that drove in two runs and the final run scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Sam Paetow.

Coach Skultety said, “I told the girls that playing in the Commonwealth and having to travel so far for three of our division games (State College, Altoona and Mifflin County) really prepares us for travel like this. Whereas other teams are concerned about traveling two-plus hours, it’s kind of the norm for us.”

Kylee Miller faced the minimum number of batters for her three innings of work, despite giving up two hits. A single in the second inning was wiped out when the runner got caught in a rundown off first base. And a base hit in the third was erased when Bree Paetow caught a line drive at second base and flipped to Skultety for a double play.

Miller (17-2) struck out two. Kori Leedy entered for the fourth inning and put the Lancers down 1-2-3 with a pair of punch-outs.

The top hitters for the Trojans were Stockslager (3-for-3, 3 RBIs), Skultery (3-for-4, 3 RBIs) and Bree Paetow (3-for-4, 3 runs).

“Anytime you can get your whole roster on the field in a state playoff game is a good day,” coach Skultety said. “Total team effort today.”