For the second straight year, the Madison Warhawks (22-2) and McLean Highlanders (18-5) were scheduled to meet in the championship game of girls 6D North Region softball tournament, at Madison on May 31.
Each advanced to the title game by winning their first two games of the tournament. Defending champion Madison defeated Arlington teams Yorktown, 4-1, then Wakefield, 11-0, in the first two games to up its winning streak to nine games. McLean downed Oakton, 9-2, and South Lakes, 10-0.
Ava Livingston was the winning pitcher in both games for Madison, totalling 10 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings, and she added two hits, including a double, in the win over Yorktown.
Other top hitters in the games for Madison were Graciela Dominguez, Sofia Marshall, Katrina Swan, Adhya Penati, Tatum Novak and Ayla Condill. Swan homered against Wakefield and Dominguez had three hits, including a double and a triple, and four RBI against Wakefield.
The Warhawks had 13 hits against Wakefield, with Penati having three and two RBI, Novak having two hits, with a long double, and Marshall having two.
Condill and Dominguez each had two hits against Yorktown.
Hailey Simpson was the winning pitcher in both region-tourney games for McLean.
The Highlanders had multiple top hitters some with multiple hits and RBI in the victories. They were Chelsea Engle, Gennie Fagan, Elise Walker, Madeline Stats with a home run and Abby Hart. Other top hitters were Riley Stats, Gabby Colder, Emory Hadden and E.K. Templer.
McLean lost early in the regular season to South Lakes, 8-3.
Madison defeated McLean, 8-1, in last season’s region final. McLean enters this year’s region final with a six-game winning streak.
