LINGLESTOWN — In two tries against Central Dauphin this season, Chambersburg frustratingly came up a bit short both times.

Kori Leedy

But in a District 3 Class 6A playoff semifinal softball game on the road Tuesday afternoon, when it mattered most, the Trojans exacted some revenge by handing the Rams a convincing 7-2 defeat thanks to a five-run fourth inning and solid pitching by Kori Leedy.

Chambersburg (18-4) will now play Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Millersville for the championship, and it will play yet another Mid Penn Commonwealth team, Cumberland Valley. The Eagles (17-2) edged Wilson in the other semifinal, 1-0, with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

"Our girls are playing their best softball right now," Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. "We're very confident and our excitement level was higher today. It was fun to watch."

Chambersburg jumped on CD starter Stella Gasper for a run in the top of the first. Sparkplug Bree Paetow singled, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Karley Skultety and slid home safely after a bunt by Addison Gsell.

"We really wanted to get on the board at the start," coach Skultety said.

In the top of the third, Paetow hit a one-out double, then Skultety made Gasper work in a 10-pitch at-bat that ended with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Bree Paetow

Leedy gave up two runs in the bottom of the third — both unearned. The Rams loaded the bases with no outs on a single, an error and a bunt. After an out, Brynn Barkley hit a sacrifice fly for the first run.

"We walked Gasper intentionally to load the bases," Skultety said, "and then Kori walked the next batter (Bre Locke) on four pitches, which is probably the first time she's ever done that."

But that's all that Central Dauphin (16-3) managed. The Rams had two runners on with one out in the fourth and sixth innings but failed to score, and Leedy set them down 1-2-3 in the fifth and seventh. She allowed 7 hits, walked three and struck out six.

"What I really liked is that after we gave up two runs, we answered right back in the next inning," Skultety said.

A five-run uprising in the top of the fourth for the Trojans came after Gasper retired the first two batters.

Leedy hit a double to left field and was replaced by courtesy runner Rowan Ogden. Marley Onomastico ripped a grounder up the middle for a hit and Skultety sent Ogden home.

"We took a chance, but they had the throw there in time," Skultety said. "But the catcher took the ball out of her glove to make a throw to second and she tagged Ogden with the empty glove. Fortunately, the ump saw it right away."

Erissa Varner singled to put two runners on base and they both scored when Paetow smacked a triple to left field. After Skultety drew a walk, Gsell belted a double to left field for the final two runs and a 7-2 lead.

"The offense picked us up today and Kori shut the door," Skultety said. "Our hitting is catching up to our pitching and defense, and our batters, 1 through 9, are doing well facing really good pitching."

Paetow was 3-for-4 and over the first 3 playoff games has 9 hits in 12 at-bats, including 3 doubles, 2 triples, a home run, 7 runs and 6 runs batted in.