The Northeastern softball team hosted 2A third-ranked Hagerstown in a game on Thursday, May 14, with the outright Tri-Eastern Conference lead on the line. Both programs have had an outstanding season and both entered the game without a loss in conference play.
Both teams have potent line-ups, but in this game, it was the pitching that ruled the day. Hailey Elsrod for Northeastern and Sydney Dobbs were in complete control through six innings. The score was tied at 0-0 entering the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, Hagerstown freshman Payton Cones entered the game as a pinch hitter. Cones blasted a solo home run over the left field fence to give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead they never surrendered.
Dobbs allowed four hits and struck out seven to pick up the win. Elsrod scattered six hits, struck out 11 and suffered the loss. Northeastern senior Brooklynne Adams collected two hits for the Lady Knights and was the only player for either team to have more than one hit.
Hagerstown assistant coach Brad Catey described what happened. “It was a great high school game,” Catey said. “Two pitchers came out and threw their best stuff. Payton Cones has been such a luxury for us to bring in as a hitter this season. We put her in in the seventh and when she walked by me, I said, ‘Hit a home run,’ and she did.”
The win was the 23rd consecutive regular season TEC win for Hagerstown. The two-time defending TEC champion Lady Tigers have one league game left against Winchester Community, which is scheduled for May 20.
If Hagerstown wins, it will be the outright TEC champion. If Hagerstown loses, it would share the TEC title with Northeastern.
Hagerstown (15-2, 6-0 TEC) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Northeastern (12-2, 6-1 TEC) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hagerstown hits: Jerycha Allred, Layla Cool, Cones, Dobbs, Addysyn Miller, Cameron Robertson
Northeastern hits: Brooklynne Adams (2), Zella Cook, Isabella Peed
A version of this article appeared in the May 20 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.