Central Dauphin struck early and made five runs over the first two innings stand in a 5-1 victory over Conestoga Valley in the District 3 Class AAAA softball quarterfinals.
Amanda Homrighausen (12-4) checked the Buckskins (16-6) on six hits. She walked no one and picked up a trio of strikeouts.
Conestoga Valley's Nicole Allen yielded only four hits to the Rams, but aggressive base running in the early going was the key to the Rams' win.
CD's Halle Rose hit a two-out, two-run double in the first inning. Alex Cunkle was 2-for-3 and Renee Foster and Lexi Hess drove in runs.
The victory puts CD (16-6) in the Class AAAA semifinals against Cumberland Valley (22-2) at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Messiah College. The winner automatically qualifies for the PIAA tournament; the loser will play for third place and a state berth.