NEW PARIS — National Trail’s softball team used a nine-run second inning to grab control of its Division IV sectional final game and cruised to an 18-1 win over visiting Cedarville on Thursday, May 9.

The win earned the Blazers a sectional championship.

The tournament win was also the first for Trail in several years, according to coach Derek Lee.

Trail, the No. 2 seed, improved to 15-7 on the season. The Blazers were scheduled to play No. 4 seed Tri-County North in the district semifinals on Tuesday, May 14 at Versailles High School. The winner advances to the district final on Saturday, May 18, to play either Riverside or Covington at Tippecanoe High School.

Against Cedarville, senior Savanna Abner had a breakout game. She went 2-for-4 with a home run and six RBI. Freshman Jenna Petitt was 2-for-3 with a pair of double and four RBI.

Senior Bobbi Grimes was 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI. Sophomore Lauren Sargeant was 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.

After building a 9-0 lead, Trail added six more runs in the third and closed out the scoring with three runs in the fourth.

Three pitchers, Madison Hathaway, Davlyn Werner and Skyler Ward, combined to give up just four hits for Trail.

On Wednesday, Trail picked up a 5-1 win over Franklin-Monroe

The Blazers were led offensively by Makena Laird, who hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to put her team ahead 4-1.

Ward went 2-for-3 with a double and Davlyn Werner was 2-for-2.

In the circle, Hathaway, Werner and Ward combined to allow just 5 hits, 1 run and struck out six.

Trail began the week with a 29-0 win over Twin Valley South.

The Blazers were led offensively by Grimes, who was 4-for-4 with 7 RBI and Gracie Jones, who was 3-for-3.

Trail scored five runs in the first inning, then added 13 more in the second. The Blazers scored seven more in the third and four more in the fourth to round out the scoring.

In the circle and picking up the win after three innings of work was Hathaway. She had six strike outs, no walks and didn’t allow a hit. Grimes finished the game to complete the no-hitter.