Triton Central hosted Hagerstown in a meeting of Lady Tigers on Tuesday, June 3, in the 2A regional championship game. Mackenzee Johnson led off the game with a double to left field and moved to third base on a grounder from Allison Stinson. But Johnson was thrown out at home plate when she tried to score on a ground ball by Elly Cheeseman. Cheeseman stole second and scored when Layla Cool delivered a double off the centerfield fence to give Hagerstown a 1-0 lead that turned out to be their only lead of the game.
Triton Central went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first inning, and Hagerstown went down 1–2-3 in the top of the second inning before Triton Central used the long ball to take the lead.
Lillie Fillippinie opened the inning with a double, and Ashlyn Hittle followed with a towering home run to give Triton Central a 2-1 lead. One out later, Madi Peterson smacked a solo home run to extend the lead to 3-1.
Triton Central added another run in the bottom of the third inning when Brylie Couch hit a 3-0 pitch over the centerfield fence.
Hagerstown scored a single run in the fifth inning when Johnson hit a two-out single and Stinson followed with a double to drive her in. Triton Central got the run back in the top of the sixth inning when Couch doubled and Hittle hit a single to drive her home.
Brylie Couch was the winning pitcher. Couch scattered nine hits, struck out 11 and helped her own cause with two hits. Hittle also collected two hits for the winners and drove in three runs.
Cool led the Hagerstown attack with three hits, and Johnson and Stinson each collected two hits.
Rylan Young suffered the loss. Young struck out nine batters and only allowed six hits, but three of the six were homers.
Hagerstown head coach Bruce Charles said his team had trouble generating offense. “We know they are a team that has hit a lot of home runs,” Charles said. “But, I thought we could match them. I think if we played 10 times we would be 5-5, but you don’t get that chance. Today, they were better. Some days are just not your day. I have no regrets or excuses. I am proud of my team. They have changed Hagerstown softball forever. There is a new standard and expectation.”
Triton Central advanced to the Forest Park semistate, where they will face the Salem Lions.
Hagerstown (20-3) 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
Triton Central (23-2) 0 3 1 0 0 1 x 5
Hagerstown hits: Aailya Anderson, Cheeseman, Cool (3), Johnson (2), Stinson (2) — Triton Central hits: Couch (2), Fillippinie, Hittle (2), Peterson
A version of this article appeared in the June 11 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.