Norway starting pitcher Kali Stanchina (26) gets ready to hurl an offering home during the Knights’ dominating 15-0 win over visiting Forest Park in Game 1 of a girls varsity softball doubleheader at Marion Park on Thursday. The twinbill sweep of the Trojans helped the Knights complete 2022 with an undefeated conference record. (Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo)

NORWAY — The host Norway Knights weren’t about to fool around, not with a potentially perfect conference record and conference title at stake.

The Knights made quick work of visiting Forest Park, dominating both games of a doubleheader, 15-0 and 15-0, at Marion Park on Thursday.

“We were really playing well,” said Norway coach Bob Bal. “I’m proud of they came to play.”

Norway needed just 3 innings to win Game 1, leading 2-0 after 1 inning of play before blowing up the score board for 7 runs in the second inning and other 6 in the third.

Knights catcher Averie Popp led the hit parade going 2 for 3 with a whopping 6 RBI and 2 runs scored. Taylor Adams (2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI) also had multiple hits for Norway.

Other contributors for the Knights included Kali Stanchina (1-1, 3 R, 2 SB), Donna VanHolla (1-2, R, 3 RBI), Gabby Leiker (1-2, R, 2 RBI), and Elizabeth Rometti (1-2, R). Hannah Burklund didn’t have a hit but scored 3 runs thanks to getting on base with 3 walks.

Stanchina also had a solid game on the mound, where she held the Trojans hitless in the 3-inning affair, striking out 2.

Game 2 didn’t go much better for Forest Park, though they did tally 4 hits and pushed the contest to 4 innings. But, in the end, it was the same result: a 15-0 loss to Norway.

The second inning again proved to be a big inning for the Knights, who were already up 2-0 and made it 9-0 by the end of the frame. They completed their 12-hit attack by scoring 2 in the third and another 4 runs in the fourth.

Stanchina helped power the offensive outburst with a perfect game at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a walk, 4 runs scored and 2 RBI. And she wasn’t alone.

Adams (3-3, 3 R, RBI), Popp (2-3, R, 5 RBI) and VanHolla (2-3, R, RBI) also feasted on Trojan pitching, as the trio accounted for 10 of the team’s base knocks.

On the mound, Stanchina started and allowed just 2 hits over the first 3 innings, while also fanning 4 batters, with Burklund pitching in relief and giving up just a hit in an inning of work.

The pair of victories boosted the Knights’ regular-season record to 22-7, including a perfect 8-0 mark in the Skyline Central Conference, making Norway the undisputed conference champs for 2022. Norway wraps up its regular-season slate Tuesday at home against Gladstone.

“We set goals in March,” Bal said. “One of those was to win the conference.

“We reached that goal. Now, it’s on to the next one,” he added. “After Tuesday, we’re 0-0 again. Anything can happen.”

The Knights, though, might have a slight advantage in chasing a district crown. The Knights are set to host the postseason tournament on Friday. Norway will play Rapid River in the second game of the day at 1 p.m., with the championship game at 4 p.m.

“We’ve played on a lot of fields,” Bal said. “We’ve played a tough schedule.

“(So) I don’t know if home field matters but they’re comfortable here,” he added. “It’s a comfort thing.”