Above: Huskies junior Allison Therien slides into home plate with Wheeler catcher Emma Adrain waiting with the ball. Therien made it home safely completing an inside the park home run on a line drive in the left field gap.

The undefeated Mt. Hope girls’ softball team batted its way into the Division III championship series  Wednesday, easily defeating Wheeler School 17-5.

The Warriors, whose season record was 8-5, let up three runs to the Huskies in the first inning to set the stage, and failed to take advantage of three bases-loaded situations that could have averted the Mercy Rule loss in the fifth inning.

Mt. Hope’s Kayla Placido was credited for the win, pitching the entire game for Maddie Reis who has been suffering with a sprained knee.

While the Huskies collected hits, Wheeler suffered with passed balls and fielding errors that allowed base runners to score.

In the top of the fourth inning, Wheeler loaded the bases with a 15-2 score, having an opportunity to close the gap. The Warriors’ Emily Larson hit a two-out rocket into center field, with Mt. Hope’s Jessica Cerce making a running catch to retire the side and save runners from scoring.

In the fifth inning, the Warriors were given their last opportunity to close Mt. Hope’s lead, loading the bases with the last three batters. But the Huskies defense kept the runners from scoring with the final out thrown by shortstop Carissa Rego to first baseman Samantha Eddy to end the game.

The Huskies earned a bye into the semifinals and will go on to face the winner of Rogers vs. Juanita Sanchez in a three game series starting today at Rhode Island College.