BOONSBORO, Md. — The Southwestern softball team figured out what direction to follow against Boonsboro.
But in a matter of 75 minutes, the Sabers knew what direction their season was headed – due South.
The Warriors thoroughly overpowered Southwestern on Friday in the Class 1A state quarterfinals in a 20-0 rout, which lasted just 4 ½ innings.
The Sabers were overmatched from the beginning as Ellie Harrell – Boonsboro’s No. 2 pitcher – fired a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts. The Warriors breezed to the win without No. 1 pitcher Addison Tyler in the circle and leadoff hitter Mylee Hartman in the lineup.
Harrell struck out the first 14 hitters she faced. Southwestern made contact on three pitches in the entire game. Pinch hitter Joanna Cooper made the first contact with a foul tip in the fourth inning.
That was followed by Lauren Smith, who fouled off a pitch with two outs in the fifth, before grounding to first baseman Mackenzie Cullen to end the game.
Boonsboro took care of everything else offensive rather quickly, starting with a 10-run second inning that featured two home runs. The Warriors added five runs in the third and fourth innings to win handily.
Eight of Boonsboro’s 12 outs were recorded by Warrior runners leaving early or stepping off a base for an automatic out.
Undefeated Boonsboro (20-0) entered the quarterfinals after suffering technical defeat. The Warriors lost a coin flip for the top seed of the quarterfinals. The Warriors were relegated to the No. 2 seed while Mardela – also undefeated – earned the top spot.
Meanwhile, Southwestern (9-5) entered as the seventh seed. The Sabers were awarded an automatic berth in the state semifinals as they were to only team entered in the Class 1A South I bracket.
Boonsboro advances to its third straight state semifinals at 4 p.m. Tuesday to meet North Dorchester at Bachman Softball Park in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The Warriors lost in the state finals in 2024 and in the semifinals last season.
Besides the three big innings and Harrell’s gem, the Warriors also enjoyed at couple of other milestones. Kalyn Lawrence recorded the 150th hit of her Boonsboro career with the first of her three bunt singles to leadoff the game. Natalie Nelson followed with her first home run in the Boonsboro second.
The Warriors clobbered Southwestern by sending 14 hitters to the plate in the 10-run outburst that made the rest of the game a formality.
Kamryn Dillow opened the floodgates, leading off the second with a drive to center field that ticked off Miracle White’s glove and rolled to the fence. Dillow easily circled the for a triple and scored when Southwestern bobbled the ball.
Harrell and Nelson followed with two-run shots off Sabers’ pitcher Makayla Harris to make it 5-0. After Lawrence’s second bunt single, Tyler stroked a triple to down the left-field line for a six-run lead.
Dillow added an RBI triple with the other three runs scoring on two wild pitches and an error for the 10-0 lead.
Boonsboro picked up five runs in the third to make it 15-0 with its first six hitters reaching base, highlighted by a two-run double and Cullen drawing a bases-loaded walk.
The Warriors cleared the bench with pinch hitters in the fourth and still scored five runs to close the scoring. Natalie Claros picked up an RBI by being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Dillow and Natalie Leggett-DeBaugh had RBI singles and Harrell unloaded a two-run double.
Dillow led Boonsboro with three hits – including two triples – and five RBIs to lead the Warriors’ 15-hit attack.
Harrell added three hits and five RBIs and Nelson had two hits and two RBIs, while Emily Himes had two hits and an RBI.
North Dorchester, the No. 3 seed, defeated Fallston 3-2 to advance to meet Boonsboro in the semifinal. Mardela defeated eighth-seen Patuxent 10-0 and No. 5 South Carroll scored a 10-2 upset at No. 4 Allegany for the right to meet in the other semifinal.
