Lady Bobcats advance to third round of playoffs

Orangefield won its third straight playoff game without a loss and advanced to the third round of the state softball playoffs in Class 3A. The Lady Bobcats completed their sweep of the Coldspring Lady Trojans at Cleveland's Hal McClelland Sports Complex softball field on Friday.

After winning a one game playoff with Central Heights in bi-district Orangefield opened its best of three area round playoff with Coldspring in Anahuac on Thursday. The Lady Bobcats defeated the Lady Trojans 8-2 in game one.

Abigail Curphey got the win in the circle for Orangefield. Curphey gave up two runs on three hits while striking out 10 Lady Trojans.

It was not just with her pitching that Curphey was a leader, she did it with her bat as well. Abigail had two hits and drove in two runs for Orangefield.

Other Lady Bobcats with big hits were Charlee Sanches with a run producing double, Hallee Becker ripped a rbi triple and scored a run. Aubree Beck and Harleigh Rawls both hit homeruns.

The series moved to Cleveland for the second game. The Lady Bobcats were the designated visitors and scored in the top of the first when Hallee Becker bunted for a single, stole second, and came home on a hit by Aubree Beck.

Two more runs were added in the third. Beck walked with one out and came home ahead of Charlee Sanches who homered over the tall fence in left field for a 3-0 Orangefield lead.

Paris Becker got the ball rolling in the fourth with a single. Alysen Vincent singled to right field to score Paris. Hallee Becker walked before Beck hit a standup double to left to drive in Vincent and Hallee. Harleigh Rawls followed with a double to plate Beck and boost the Lady Bobcats to a 7-0 advantage.

Vincent knocked in two runs in the fifth giving her three rbis for the game. Pinch hitter Abby Broussard and Paris Becker scored the Orangefield runs that inning.

The Lady Bobcats tallied three runs in the sixth. Paris Becker smashed a two-run double to center and Rylee Dougay singled to bring home the twelfth run.

Abigail Curphey pitched shutout ball for the Lady Bobcats during her five and a third innings in the circle surrendering two hits, one walk, one hit batter, and striking out six. After Abigail retired the first Coldspring batter in the sixth Sanches relieved and retired two of the three Lady Trojans she faced to end the game 12-0 in favor of Orangefield.

Orangefield Coach Rebekah Ragsdale was pleased with the sweep against Coldspring. "Nothing is easy at this point. Even up twelve zero in the sixth my heart was still racing. It's fun, it's a good heart racing at this point, not bad. I will take it. I'm very proud of this group and just what they've accomplished so far this year. The next round I believe is doable again. We just have to stay focused," Ragsdale responded after the win Friday night.

The Lady Bobcats will play Pollok Central in the third round of the state Class 3A softball playoffs. The series will be a best of three with all the games at Jasper. The first game is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 PM, the second game will be Friday at 7:30 PM, and a third game if needed would be Saturday at 2:00 PM.