SHELBY — Mother Nature’s fireworks display Wednesday night paled in comparison to Lexington’s power exhibition earlier in the day.

Lady Lex belted four home runs and thundered to a run rule-shortened 18-1 win over Akron Springfield in the nightcap of a Division II regional semifinal doubleheader at the Whippet Athletic Complex.

Freshman Quinn Patrick launched a two-run homer and Kylie Thornton added a three-run bomb later in the frame as Lady Lex (28-2) scored seven first-inning runs. Kaylie Eichorn and Kylie Galownia each hit a three-run homer in the nine-run fourth.

“We’re usually always barreling balls up,” said Galownia, who was 3-for-4 with three runs and three runs batted in. “We don’t hit dinky ground balls.

“We work in the cage on that. We work on line drives and hard-hit balls.”

As she has done all season, Lexington leadoff hitter Jillian Morr set the table in the first. She doubled on the third pitch she saw from Springfield ace Sydney Hillyard and coasted home when Patrick turned on an 0-1 offering and deposited it over the wall in left field.

“A freshman comes out and hits a home run. That’s a big deal,” Eichorn said. “That really set the tone on how we’re going to hit the rest of the game.”

Galownia and Makaree Chapman both singled before Eichorn flew out to deep left for the first out of the inning. Thornton followed with a three-run blast on a full count for a 5-0 lead. Morr capped the outburst with her second double of the inning to plate Kyra Boyd.

“When you can score on bunches like that, it makes the game a lot easier,” Lexington coach Todd Galownia said. “We get seven in the first inning and that just changes the game. 

“These guys came out ready to go and hit the ball.”

Springfield (18-8) scored its only run in the top of the third, but Lady Lex answered with two in the bottom of the frame. Morr again delivered with a two-out, two-run double.

Lexington sealed the deal with nine in the fourth. Lady Lex had nine hits in the inning.

The top six hitters in Lexington’s lineup — Morr, Patrick, Kylie Galownia, Chapman, Eichorn and Thornton — were a combined 16-for-22 with 17 runs batted in and eight extra base hits. Morr was 4-for-4 with four doubles and five RBIs. Kylie Galownia, Chapman and Thornton each had three hits, while Eichorn had a pair of hits and four RBIs.

“Our one through six (hitters), I’ll put up against anybody,” Todd Galownia said. “Our seven, eight and nine kids do what they have to do … to get it back to the top.”

Chapman was virtually untouchable in the pitcher’s circle. The left-hander scattered three hits and struck out 11 while waking four. 

“If you’re only giving up one run a game, you’re going to be in a lot of games,” Todd Galownia said. “We just got to figure out how to score a couple.”

Lexington will play Bryan for the regional title and a berth in next week’s state tournament at 5 p.m. Friday at Shelby. Bryan beat Maumee 5-0 in Wednesday’s early game.

Lexington beat Bryan in the 2022 regional semifinals before falling to Oak Harbor in the regional final.

“We were here two years ago,” Todd Galownia said. “It’s always been our goal to get back.”