On Wednesday afternoon, the Nipmuc Warriors softball team punched its ticket to the Division 3 quarterfinals with a decisive 7-1 victory over the Tri-County Cougars. Nipmuc entered the matchup holding an impressive 19-2 record, while Tri-County came in as the No. 12 seed following an 8-7 win over Auburn. Pitching was the story early on. Starter Savannah Carr and reliever Charlotte Leitch combined to limit the Cougars to just four hits and one unearned run. Carr set the tone by working through the middle innings, striking out multiple batters and keeping hitters off balance with a mix of high and low ball placement. Leitch took over in relief, continuing the dominance and finishing with a total of nine strikeouts between them. Offensively, Nipmuc jumped ahead with a three-run first inning. Keegan Kelley crushed a solo home run, while Kira DeBaggis hit a two-run shot to extend the lead. Both Kelley and DeBaggis drove in two runs apiece and consistently put pressure on Tri-County’s defense. Nipmuc added two more runs later, keyed by timely hits forcing the Cougars into mistakes. That brings Nipmuc’s record to 20-2 and sets up a marquee quarterfinal matchup against undefeated Tantasqua, which enters at 20-0 after a lopsided 12-0 win over Montachusett Regional. Both teams have powerhouse lineups and deep pitching staffs. Nipmuc’s ability to combine clutch hitting with shutdown pitching and tight defense gives them confidence heading into Saturday’s noon game. The winner will have a legitimate shot at hoisting the Division 3 championship trophy.
