FAYETTEVILLE — Chambersburg turned aside an early challenge by Red Lion and let its offense take charge on Monday afternoon.

Kylee Perry

The Trojans gradually pulled away to earn a 9-4 victory in a District 3 Class 6A first-round playoff game at Norlo Park and move into the quarterfinals.

No. 13 seed Manheim Township (10-11) knocked off No. 4 seed Central York 3-2 on Monday, which means the Blue Streaks will play No. 5 seed Chambersburg (16-4) at Norlo Park on Thursday at 4:30.

“Our offense came through really well,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “We hit well up and down the lineup.”

Chambersburg racked up 14 hits off Lion pitcher Ella Honaker, who also walked 3 and struck out 3.

Bree Paetow was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a triple and Kylee Perry also posted 3 hits, plus a walk.

Kori Leedy (15-4) went the distance for the Trojans. Red Lion got to her for 8 hits, but she was charged with just 2 earned runs, did not walk a batter and fanned 10.

Skultety said, “Kori was a little too amped up early. She got the ball up and they were a good-hitting team.”

In the top of the first, Red Lion (10-11) scored two runs after an error, on a hit by Honaker and a sacrifice fly by Jayde Stuth.

Chambersburg got one back in the first. After two outs on strikeouts, Addison Gsell powered a shot over the fence in centerfield for her fourth home run.

“That was big,” Skultety said. “That got us going.”

The Trojans came back in the second to take a 3-2 lead. Sanay Jones singled and with two outs went to third on a double by Paetow. Karley Skultety brought them both in with a 2-RBI base hit.

In the third, the Lions scored on a double by Marisa Shuman and a base hit by Stuth, but Chambersburg made up for that when Malia Cramer banged a double, stole third and came home on a sac fly by Leedy. The Trojans made it 5-3 in the fourth when Paetow tripled to left field and scored on Skultety’s single.

With Leedy now in control, Chambersburg put the game away with 4 runs in the fifth inning. Perry singled and after Leedy bunted her up a base, Jones cracked a homer to left, her first of the season.

After an out, Liberty Leonard came to the plate for her first varsity at-bat and smoked a double to center. Paetow then hit her second double to plate Leonard and scored later on an error.

Coach Skultety said, “Karley had a big two-out hit in the second to give us the lead. Jones got her first home run and Leedy almost got one, too — she flew out to the fence on her sac fly. And Leonard hit the ball really hard in her first at-bat.

“We’ve only got two seniors, but we are seasoned and we play confidently. They are calm even if they get behind and just keep playing ball.”