LAMPASAS – Reduced to a one-game playoff after Friday night’s thunderstorms, the Early Lady Horns witnessed their softball season conclude with an 11-0 loss to Llano Saturday afternoon.

District 8-3A champion Early (28-6-2) rallied from a 1-0 series deficit in the bi-district round against Jacksboro last weekend, but the Lady Horns were denied of that opportunity against District 5-3A runner-up Llano (23-5-1), thanks to Mother Nature.

Early finished with just one hit against Llano Saturday, that coming from Marissa Reedy, while Averey Horton drew a walk. The Lady Horns struck out nine times against Llano’s Skylar Brown.

The Lady Horns yielded three runs in the first inning, six in the fourth, and two more in the fifth as Llano enforced the 10-run mercy rule.

Teagan Lopez and Grace LaRue combined to surrender five earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and nine walks, while the Lady Horn defense committed five errors.

Standouts for the Llano offense were Brown with three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs, while Gwyn Burnett chipped in a pair of hits and two RBIs.

Llano will advance to face either District 7 champion Iowa Park or District 6 runner-up Merkel next weekend in the regional quarterfinals.