Bowie 9, No. 11 Early 8

WEATHERFORD – The No. 11 Early Lady Horns surrendered seven runs over the final two innings as the Bowie Lady Rabbits rallied for a 9-8 victory in Game 1 of a Class 3A Division I Region I softball bi-district playoff series Thursday at Weatherford College.

The loss snapped a 17-game win streak for the District 8-3A champion Lady Horns (25-5), who out hit Bowie (18-15) by a 12-8 count committed only one error to three by the Lady Rabbits.

Early received three hits and two RBIs from Jaime Vassar; two hits and three RBIs from Andie Simpson; two hits apiece from Kyleigh Caperton and Avery Stifflemire; one hit and two RBIs from Aleeya McCombs; one hit and one RBI from Sunny Groom; and one hit from Jamie Lyon.

In the circle, Groom went the distance and yielded nine earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and 11 walks.

Bowie was led by two hits each from Serenity Klump and Rhyan Carl, one hit and three RBIs from Payton Holt, and one hit and two RBIs each from KP Rutherford and Chloe Kinney.

Rutherford surrendered three earned runs on 12 hits with seven strikeouts and five walks.

Early broke a 2-all tie with six runs in the top of the fourth inning as Simpson reached on an error that allowed Sydney Greaves, who led off with a walk, to score the go-ahead run. Groom then walked with the sacks full to plate Lyon, who singled, for a 4-2 edge. Vassar’s two-out RBI single drove home Simpson and Caperton, who walked, for a 6-2 advantage. McCombs then tripled to plate Vassar and Racy Pruett, running for Groom, to boost the lead to 8-2.

Games 2 and 3, if needed, begin at 5 p.m. Friday back at Weatherford College.

The series winner will face either No. 12 Jim Ned or Llano in the area round of the playoffs next weekend. Jim Ned won Game 1 by an 11-1 count Thursday in Brownwood.

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Haskell 10, Coleman 0

HASKELL – The Coleman Bluekatts dropped the opener of their Class 2A Division II Region I softball bi-district playoff series 10-0 at Haskell Thursday.

District 7 second seed Coleman (9-12-1) was limited to two hits by District 8 top seed Haskell (14-6) pitcher Paige Sheets, who struck out seven. Kyla Lange and Steeley Black recorded singles for the Bluekatts.

Haskell scored twice in the first and fifth innings and added three runs each in the second and fourth frames. Raegan Adkins homered for Haskell, while Sheets finished with two hits and two RBIs, Rebekah Cunningham and Lucy Hatfield both tallied two hits and one RBI, and Brynlee Stocks contributed one hit and two RBIs.

Lily Norris went the distance in the circle for Coleman, yielding four earned runs on 11 hits with one strikeout and one walk. The Bluekatts also committed five errors.

Games 2 and 3, if needed, of the series will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Coleman

The series winner will face District 6 top seed Christoval (19-5-1) in the area round of the playoffs next weekend.