BROWNSTOWN — Excellent pitching and a couple of two-run doubles pushed Brownstown Central’s softball team to a 4-0 win over Brown County in the opening round of the Class 2A Brownstown Central Sectional on Tuesday night.

Senior Rylin Huddleston threw a one-hit, 11-strikeout shutout to lead the Braves. For good measure, she also finished with two hits at the plate.

“I thought that was the best game (Rylin’s) pitched, probably since the Scottsburg game (in April),” Brownstown head coach Darren Bryant said. “No walks, that’s what she’s been struggling with, and a one-hitter. At the plate, I told her, ‘If it looks hittable, hit it.’ Then she got two hits after that, hitting the ball hard both times. She’s very capable, just a matter of her getting confidence.”

Tuesday’s victory advances Brownstown to tonight’s semifinal round where Hauser awaits. The Jets (21-7) claimed Tuesday’s first game over Switzerland County by scoring five in the third inning to pull away to a comfortable 7-0 win.

Rylee May provided the initial offensive spark for the Braves (17-9). The junior smacked three doubles, each of them to the wall in either the left or right field gaps, and drove in Brownstown’s first two runs.

May’s second double in the third inning got BC on the scoreboard. The rally started when Brooke Meahl’s infield single gobbled up Brown County shortstop Lexie Austin. Kelsey Schneider followed with a walk before Emily Dillman’s sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position.

May then drove a double to left to force Meahl and Schneider across the plate to give BC a 2-0 lead.

“She’s been consistent all year,” Bryant said of May. “She’s definitely our hardest hitter. You can count on her for at least one or two hits per game. You hate to expect three doubles from a kid every game, but from her, you can just about expect it.”

The Braves put the game away when Meahl started the seventh with a single to center and moved to third on a double by Dillman. Kyndle Huddleston barreled a line-drive double to right to knock both runners home and give BC a four-run lead.

That cushion eased Bryant’s mind.

“We haven’t seen Brown County play all year,” Bryant said. “People were telling us, ‘You’ll be fine.’ But this time of year, you can’t look past anybody. I thought (Brown County) played well. They had us nervous for quite awhile. I felt a lot better after the two runs late in the game put us up by four. Until then, it was anybody’s game.”

Brown County’s only hit came on a single up the middle by Ava Sanders in the bottom of the first inning. Sanders would later be victimized by the Braves’ defense.

In the third inning, Sanders’ sharp grounder down the first base line was snared by Kyndle Huddleston, turning a would-be extra base hit into the inning’s third out.

In the sixth inning, Meahl robbed Sanders of an apparent extra base hit when she snow-coned Sanders’ deep flyball to right field.

In the top half of the sectional bracket, Milan and South Ripley will meet in tonight’s 5:30 p.m. game. Milan (20-10) downed Southwestern (Hanover)b10-0 in the tournament’s opening game on Monday night. South Ripley (3-17) drew the bye and will be making its postseason debut.

Brownstown and Hauser will meet in tonight’s second game and are expected to start at 7:30 p.m.

“We thought coming in that us, Hauser and Milan had the best chance at the title,” Bryant said. “With the draw, we’ll have to get through both of them. Hauser is good. They’ve got good pitching and defense and some speed at the top of the order. We’ll have to play well. If we play well and don’t make errors, we have a good chance to win it.”