"The bigger incentive was to play Vineland," Sacred Heart coach John Triantos said after his Lions whipped the Fighting Clan, 12-5, at overcast Washington Township.

Josh Moren, Dan Williams and Jon Schmidt, the first three hitters in Sacred Heart's loaded lineup, went a combined 7 for 11 with nine runs scored and five RBIs to trigger the victory and move the Lions (19-1) into Saturday's 1:30 p.m. quarterfinals against host Washington Township, which scored a 9-4 win over Northern Burlington in yesterday's nightcap.

"It's always an intense game when we play Vineland," said Moren, a speedy shortstop who was 3 for 5 with a homer, triple and single, scored three runs and collected a pair of RBIs.

The previous two seasons, Sacred Heart lost to Moorestown and Seneca in first-round Diamond games.

"Coach mentioned it to us," said Moren, referring to the first-round knockouts, "but we tried not to think about it. We just tried to go out and play our game - and we did."

It was Moren, a 5-foot-6, 145-pound senior, who jump-started the Lions by drilling Jose Ramos' 1-1 pitch for a 365-foot homer to left to open the game.

"He has a big swing for a little man," Schmidt said.

Schmidt, a senior third baseman who is headed to the University of South Carolina at Beaufort, nailed a two-run homer later in the inning. Schmidt finished the day 3 for 4 with four runs scored and three RBIs; he also had one of Sacred Heart's six stolen bases.

The lineup also featured a two-run homer by catcher Juan Velazquez and two hits by rightfielder Carlos Sepulveda, the team's No. 9 hitter.

"We just have a good group of kids, and when someone isn't hitting, the next hitter picks him up," said Triantos, whose team is No. 1 in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings "One through nine, we have a strong lineup."

Chris Fullam, who relieved J.T. Triantos, allowed three runs in 51/3 innings to notch the win and raise his record to 4-0.

But it was Sacred Heart's 12-hit offense, which was keyed by Schmidt and Moren, that stole the show.

Schmidt missed half his sophomore season with a shoulder injury; last year, he was sidelined for half the season with a broken leg.

"It just feels good to be healthy and playing every day," Schmidt said. "We're looking to go far; we're looking at the states and trying to put teams away, like we did today."

Vineland (13-6) got most of its production from the bottom of its lineup, which featured King Rodriguez (homer, double), Edgar Ortiz (two hits) and Brian Carter (two hits), the team's Nos. 6-8 hitters.

The first five hitters in Vineland's lineup went a combined 3 for 15.

"It was nice to beat someone who plays right down the street from us," Schmidt said.

In the second game, senior third baseman Mike Schatzman went 3 for 3, scored four runs and stroked a homer as Washington Township defeated Northern Burlington. Chris Fanty also homered in the Minutemen's 12-hit attack.

Washington Township's Adam Warburton pitched a complete-game four-hitter and allowed three earned runs.

Sacred Heart 320 240 1 - 12 12 1

Vineland 110 101 1 - 5 9 4

WP: Chris Fullam. LP: Jose Ramos. 2B: V–King Rodriguez, Lucas Nelson, Edgar Ortiz. 3B: SH–Josh Moren. HR: SH–Josh Moren, Jon Schmidt, Juan Velazquez; V–King Rodriguez.

Washington Township 213 100 2 - 9 12 2

Northern Burlington 300 010 0 - 4 4 2

WP: Adam Warburton. LP: John Hibbard. 2B: WT–T.J. Alcorn, Sean Quigley. 3B: WT–Nick Favatella. HR: WT–Mike Schatzman, Chris Fanty; NB–Ian Moyer.

or scarchidi@phillynews.com.