MALDEN -- Experience and youth combined to help the Dexter softball team play a near-flawless game Monday.
The fifth-seeded Lady Bearcats piled up nine hits in six innings behind a four-hit gem from their young ace to make their MSHAA Class 1 District 3 opener a quick one, taking down No. 4 Charleston 16-1 in six innings.
Dexter (7-12) will play top-seeded Malden in a semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
"Today was one of the most complete and consistent games we've played all year," Dexter coach Starla Pulley said. "We were aggressive at the plate, played solid defense and everything clicked."
Freshman Kelsey Carrier was dominant in the circle, only allowing the Bluejays (5-10) two baserunners on a lone hit from Breanna Evans and a fielder's choice in the first four innings. She retired the side in order in four of her six innings in the circle and finished with two strikeouts.
"She's done a really good job for us and that's been the biggest difference for us this year," Pulley said. "Other teams are scoring less runs against us than previous years and I think that will continue."
After retiring the side in the opening frame on seven pitches, Carrier and the Lady Bearcats' offense took over.
With two outs, Mallory Dunlap singled, advanced to third on an error and scored one batter later on Demi Cecil's double to the fence in right-center field. She traded places with Annie Slaton, who singled and took second on the throw home. Kelby Hill, in her second game back from a back and neck injury, then reached on an error to score Slaton for a 3-0 lead.
Dexter tacked on two more runs in the third as Cheyenne Mosby dove in her sister, Chaylea, with an RBI single. Carrier, who reached on a fielder's choice, took third on consecutive errant throws and trotted home on another Charleston error, pushing the advantage to 5-0.
It was the theme of the night for the Bluejays, who committed eight errors on the night.
"We couldn't seem to make any type of play when a ball was hit our way," Charleston coach Dollete Hall said.
After striking out in her first two at-bats, Lauryn Davis drew a walk to lead off the fourth, advanced to second on an error, stole third and scored on a passed ball.
Dexter took advantage of two more Charleston miscues in the fifth to extend it to 9-0.
With two outs, Davis reached on a hard hit ball to the shortstop that was misplayed. She took second on a passed ball and stole third before Kaylee Carey was issued a walk. Chaylea worked a 1-2 count before launching a high pop fly that bounced in and out of a Charleston defenders glove, allowing both runners to score.
Charleston finally got to Carrier with three straight singles on three consecutive pitches. Carrier got a pop out before issuing a bases-loaded walk to Skyler Marshall.
Dexter answered with its biggest offensive output of the game in the top of the sixth as Cheyanne Mosby and Mallory Dunlap reached on back-to-back errors.
Cecil brought one run in with a single before Slaton was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Hill, who plated a run with a bunt single and an 11-1 lead.
Carey cleared the bases with a three-run double then stole third and home on a called dropped-third-strike during Chaylea Mosby's at-bat to cap the game's scoring.
"She's one of those batters that we're going to extremely miss next year," Pulley said of Carey. "When she's at the plate, you can pretty much feel confident she's going to get on base."