Courtesy Photo The Hillman High School softball team poses together after their district championship win on Saturday. The Tigers beat Johannesburg-Lewiston 14-2 and are advancing to the regional semifinal game this Saturday.

HILLMAN — The Hillman High School softball team saw their hard work pay off as the Tigers trounced Johannesburg-Lewiston in the district championship.

Throughout the offseason, the Tigers put in their time and prepared to reclaim a district crown against one of the top teams in the state, which came to light on Saturday.

Hillman (37-3) exploded for a six-run first inning against Johannesburg-Lewiston (27-5) all-state pitcher Jayden Marlatt and never looked back as the Tigers cruised to a convincing 14-2 victory over the No. 2 team in Division IV and a Cardinals team that made it to the final four a year ago.

Leadoff hitter, Nicole Barbeau got the game started with a leadoff double and came around to score after a sacrifice bunt by Gretchen Weiland forced a wild throw to third base and Barbeau raced into home.

Madelyn Oswald walked and the cleanup hitter, freshman Aubrey Weiland, belted a two-run homer to left field to put Hillman up 3-0.

The Tigers were just getting started as the next two batters in the order, Hannah Crane and Cassidy Benac, singled and Autumn Lis hit an opposite-field home run to give Hillman a 6-0 lead after the top of the first, continuing to dominate the rest of the way.

The Tigers tallied 20 hits in the contest with all nine starters recording a hit and were led by Barbeau who went four-for-five with four runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Benac and Gretchen Weiland each had three hits. Lis and Aubrey Weiland each hit a home run and drove in three runs, while Crane and Oswald each had two hits apiece.

Gretchen Weiland earned the win on the mound, tossing all seven innings, allowing just two earned runs on six hits and striking out three.

Hillman advances to Saturday’s regional semifinal game against Rudyard at 10 a.m. in Johannesburg-Lewiston.