Softball girls keep going in post season

This week marks the start of Round 3 of the state UIL softball playoffs. Three teams from Orange County remain in contention.

Bridge City and Little Cypress Mauriceville in Class 4A have won their first two series during the post season. Orangefield in the Class 3A bracket has captured a pair of wins.

The Bridge City Cardinals the champions of District 19-4A played a one game playoff with the Lufkin Hudson Lady Hornets last week. The prediction of inclement weather for later in the week had the game moved to Wednesday in Jasper.

The Cardinals received another stellar start from pitcher Carson Fall who threw a no hitter as Bridge City beat Lufkin Hudson 5-1 to advance to the third round of the playoffs. Fall struck out 17 Lady Hornets in the game. Carson had already thrown six no hitters in district and one in the bi-district round against Huffman.

Bridge City showed better bats in this game than it did against Huffman when the Cardinals were limited to a total of three runs in two games. Anna Autrey drove in the first Bridge City run and Brooklyn Droddy singled in two more to give Bridge City some cushion in this winner take all game against Lufkin Hudson.

This week Bridge City has a rematch from two years ago when the Cardinals played a dramatic three games series with the perennial softball power house Liberty Lady Panthers. Liberty scored two runs in the last inning for a walk off win over Bridge City.

Once again the Cardinals and Carson Fall will have to be at their best against Liberty. The Lady Panthers with one loss on their whole season have outscored the opponents 50-6 in winning the four games during the post season.

This will be another one game playoff. Bridge City will play Liberty on Thursday at 6:00 PM on the Goose Creek High School softball field in Baytown.

The Little Cypress Mauriceville Lady Bears battled the Gilmer Lady Buckeyes to win the area round series in three games at Jasper. Rain caused the games to start on Friday followed by a double header on Saturday.

The Lady Bears won 7-0 in Game 1 of the series. Tessa Erickson got the win in the circle for LCM giving up four hits and striking out eight during the shutout.

Jacelyn Cook started the offense for the Lady Bears with a solo homerun in the fifth. Lexis Moss had a big game with the bat banging out three hits bringing home two Lady Bears. Erickson and Ava White added key hits.

The Lady Buckeyes bounced back on Saturday to win the second game of the series 6-5 over Little Cypress Mauriceville to force a third game. The decisive final game was 1-0 in favor of the Lady Bears after five innings.

The nail biter became a blowout as the Lady Bears scored eleven runs in the sixth inning for a ten run mercy rule 12-0 win. The highlight of the eleven run avalanche were back to back homers by Lexis Moss and Keylie Washburn.

Little Cypress Mauriceville faces the Bullard Lady Panthers this week. Bullard advanced to this round with an easy two game sweep of Center in bi-district and a 7-2 win against Hamshire-Fannett in a one game playoff during the second round.

This playoff between LCM and Bullard will be a best of three with all the games to be played in Lufkin. The first game will be Wednesday at 6:00 PM, the second game is scheduled for Friday at 5:00 PM, with a third game if necessary to follow 30 minutes later.

The Orangefield Lady Bobcats won a thrilling three game series over the Anderson-Shiro Lady Owls to make it to the third round of the playoffs. Heavy rain in the Cleveland area had the series moved to Crosby.

Anderson-Shiro took the first game 6-0 on Friday. Bobcat pitcher Abigail Curphey pitched will giving up just one earned run on seven hits with four strikeouts. Abby Broussard and Aubree Beck had hits for the Lady Bobcats.

A sweep of the double header on Saturday was now necessary for Orangefield to advance. The first step was achieved with a 7-2 victory by the Lady Bobcats.

Charlee Sanches pitched a complete game for Orangefield yielding four hits with six strikeouts and not giving up an earned run.

The Lady Bobcats pounded thirteen hits in the game. Abigail Curphey, Alysen Vincent, Haylee Spears, Paris Becker, and Hallee Becker each had two hits. Spears may have had her biggest game of the season with a single and a double to drive in two runs.

There was some defense too for Orangefield. Hallee Becker went above the centerfield fence to rob a Lady Owl of a homerun that would have tied the game in the sixth inning.

Later on Saturday the Lady Bobcats won 3-2 over Anderson-Shiro to capture the series in three games. Abigail Curphey threw her best in a complete game allowing just four hits to earn the vital win for Orangefield.

Aubree Beck had the big bat for the Lady Bobcats with two runs batted in and a run scored. Hallee Becker doubled and drove in the other Orangefield run while Paisley Reeves singled and scored a run.

The two victories on Saturday helped set a new Orangefield school record for wins in a softball season. Lady Bobcats have won 28 games this year surpassing last year's mark of 27 triumphs.

Orangefield plays East Bernard in the third round of the playoffs. The best of three series will be played in Crosby starting on Thursday at 6:00 PM, followed by the second game on Friday at 6:00 PM, and a third game if required will follow 30 after the second contest.