West Springfield players believe their opponents keep taking them lightly, and the host Spartans continued surprising them Monday night.

With the score tied at 1-1, West Springfield exploded for four runs in the fifth inning and later held off a seventh-inning W.T. Woodson rally, hanging on for a 5-3 victory in the Northern Region Tournament quarterfinals.

In doing so, the Spartans (13-10) avenged a 3-2 loss to the Cavaliers (13-8) in last year's region quarterfinals.

``They didn't seem focused,'' Spartan second baseman Cassidy Doane said of some of West Springfield's most recent opponents. ``They definitely took us lightly.''

``I believe that with all my heart,'' Spartan coach John Schneeberger said. ``People started beating up on us for a little while [early in the regular season], and it's helped us.''

According to Doane, Woodson and Lake Braddock were among the teams that entered their respective matchups with the Spartans a little overconfident. West Springfield (13-10), which entered the postseason with an 8-10, defeated the Patriot District regular-season champion Bruins in a district tournament semifinal.

But Centreville, which defeated Edison, 3-0, in another region tournament quarterfinal called after six innings due to lightning, won't underestimate the Spartans. Last year, West Springfield knocked out Concorde District top-seed Centreville in the first round of the region tournament.

The teams meet again at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at West Springfield in a region tournament semifinal. In the other semifinal, Liberty District champion Madison (21-1) takes on Lake Braddock (16-6). The Bruins advanced to the semifinals on the strength of a seven-run third inning - Lauren Duda capped it with a three-run homer - in a 7-3 win over upstart Jefferson. Meanwhile, the Warhawks got an excellent pitching performance out of Sarah Meyer and scratched out a couple runs in a 2-0 win over Hayfield.

Before the season started, several coaches in the region labeled the Spartans as a team to watch. West Springfield displayed that promise the past two weeks.

On Monday, the Spartans benefited from two Woodson errors in the fifth inning. West Springfield's Angie Arbia scored the go-ahead run from third base when Lauren Thomas reached on an error. Doane and Becky Bond had RBI singles in the inning.

Woodson staged a comeback in the seventh, as Amy Kirk doubled home one run and Kevan MacIver singled in another. But Arbia prevented another from scoring and preserved the win when she stretched out for a Lauren Porter line drive headed down the left-field line and threw the Woodson pitcher out at first.

Cavaliers coach Don Grant, who graduates six seniors, said he was pleased about the team going down fighting.

``They stuck it out and, they battled to the end, and we're proud of them,'' Grant said.

Lake Braddock 7, Jefferson 3

Lake Braddock pitcher Lauren Duda hadn't hit a home run over the fence in high school before Monday's quarterfinal between the Bruins and Colonials. But Lake Braddock coach Bruce Feinberg, who saw the junior hit ``four or five balls'' off the fence this year, thought Duda was due.

Feinberg said opponents often pitched around Duda this year, but thought Jefferson didn't have that option with runners on base. Prior to Duda's round-tripper, leadoff hitter Abby McGrath came through with an RBI single, Heather Chema delivered a two-run double, and Amy Downing had a run-scoring single.

Jefferson defeated Lake Braddock in the regular season.

``Jefferson beat us earlier in the season, and we wanted to show we can beat them,'' Duda said.

Feinberg said it had been more than a month since the Bruins had such an offensive output this early in the game. He had been used to sixth- or seventh-inning rallies this season.

``We set a goal, and that goal was to score early and put he pressure on Jefferson,'' Feinberg said.

The game ended Jefferson's amazing postseason - one in which the Colonials defeated the top three seeds in the Concorde District Tournament in Centreville, Oakton and Chantilly. Jefferson (7-14) won its first Concorde title, became the first No. 7 seed to win a district tournament, and defeated Centreville for the first time in the school's history.

Madison 2, Hayfield 0

Madison's stellar defense helped preserve the shutout for Meyer, who gave up two hits and hit a batter through six innings.

In the first inning, right fielder Ciera Jones fielded a line-drive hit by Sara Rosboschil and threw out the Hayfield runner at first. In the third inning, Liz Robbins threw out the Hawks' Stephanie Bender at home plate. Bender, who hit a one-out double, tried to advanced one base on a sacrifice by catcher Lindsey Michaels. After an errant throw to third dribbled into foul territory down the left-field line, Robbins recovered the ball and threw out Bender.

The Warhawks scored both of their runs in the fourth inning. Caitlyn Murphy led off with a single, and Lauren Frankiewicz followed with a double down to left. Mary Ann Kearney's sacrifice fly scored Murphy, and Megan Wolfrey's safety squeeze bunt plated Frankiewicz.

Liz Hall pitched a scoreless seventh inning and picked up the save.

Madison coach Tammi Talley said the Warhawks haven't faced a pitcher as tough as Lake Braddock's Duda thus far.

``Duda does a good job placing the ball where she wants it,'' Talley said. ``It will be a tough challenge for us.''

It's a challenge, however, Talley believes her team is ready for.

``Mentally, these girls have one goal in mind, and that's to make it to states,'' Talley said.

``I said at the beginning of the season the two teams to beat are Centreville and Madison,'' Feinberg said. ``And I haven't changed my mind. We want to know where we stand against one of the best teams.''

Centreville 3, Edison 0

Krista Brotemarkle pitched a three-hit shutout in the Wildcats' 3-0 six-inning win over the Eagles. Only one baserunner - the Eagles Adina Gee hit a one-out double in the third - reached scoring position against Brotemarkle, who walked one and struck out seven.

Centreville (16-5) got out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, as Stephanie McKee and Ashleigh Leasure started the game with bunt hits. One out later, shortstop Heather Wrenn delivered an RBI single, and Colleen McCabe drove in another run with a suicide squeeze. In the sixth inning, Brotemarkle's run-scoring single to right plated McCabe, who led off the inning with an infield hit.