Central High School’s varsity baseball and softball teams shut out their visiting opponents Friday in their respective Conference 42 tournament semifinal games to qualify for the Region 1A East tournament.

Because of delays this week due to inclement weather, sufficient time did not exist to complete the baseball and softball conference tournaments, so the winners of all four semifinal games simply advance to regionals without playing a conference championship game.

Both the Chargers (17-4) and Lady Chargers (14-7) will play host in their regional quarterfinal games Monday at 5 p.m.

On the baseball diamond Friday, the top-seeded Chargers experienced little-to-no competition against struggling No.4 Charles City High School, winning 30-0 in five innings.

Chargers Head Coach Michael Atkins said in terms of blowout victories through Central’s history, this one rates “probably pretty high.”

“I know there was a group back in the ‘90s I think it was 42-0 over Cumberland, so this might rank as the second (highest),” he said.

But he noted that it was an important game for his team to win because it was a conference semifinal game.

“We needed obviously (to) win the game to get into the regional tournament which is our goal, and so we accomplished that tonight,” he said. “That was the main thing.”

A highlight among Central’s offensive onslaught was a home run by freshman Austin Hall, who was just recently called up from the junior varsity team.

Junior Christian Hall pitched the first two innings of the game to earn the win on the mound.

The Chargers will face Stonewall Jackson High School on Monday.

On the softball diamond Friday, the second-seeded Lady Chargers defeated No. 3 West Point High School 6-0.

“Our defense was seamless,” Central Head Coach Karen McGrath said. “We waited a little while before we started hitting, but we pulled it out. We became patient at the plate, and we played the game we know how to play.”

Junior Hailey Bayne earned the win in the circle. She pitched a complete game, allowing only two hits and throwing nine strikeouts.

The Lady Chargers produced nine hits for the game, including an inside-the-park home run by freshman Sorie Scott in the bottom of the fifth inning. She finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate.

Shortly after the game, McGrath said she was not sure yet who the Lady Chargers would face Monday, but she believed it would be Chincoteague High School.