OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County Community College advanced to the semifinals of the NJCAA Region 6 Division II Softball Tournament with a convincing 7-1 victory over Allen County Thursday afternoon at the JCCC Softball Field.

The Cavaliers improved to 35-11 on the season and will continue postseason play in the tournament semifinals after collecting 11 hits and getting a dominant performance in the circle from sophomore pitcher Elsa Carrillo.

JCCC wasted little time getting on the board, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning. Reagan Neitzel delivered an RBI single, and Reese Pattison followed with a run-scoring hit to give the Cavaliers an early 2-0 advantage.

Allen County answered with its lone run in the top of the second inning, but Carrillo quickly settled in and kept the Red Devils off the scoreboard the rest of the way. The sophomore scattered just three hits over seven innings while striking out eight and walking one to improve to 12-4 on the season.

The Cavaliers added two more runs in the third inning to extend the lead to 4-1. Pattison launched a two-run home run, the only extra base hit of the game, and JCCC broke things open with a three-run fourth inning. Mariah Herrera drove in a run with a single and Pattison added another RBI to finish with three runs batted in on a 2-for-3 afternoon.

Neitzel and Herrera each recorded two hits for the Cavaliers, while Olivia Ellis, Kennedy Glassford, Alaryce Millard, Makenzie Yoder and Katie Courter all added hits in the 11-hit attack.

Allen County managed just three hits in the contest, with Kara Walker accounting for two of them.

JCCC will now move on to the Region 6 Tournament semifinals as the Cavaliers continue their pursuit of a regional championship.