SITE, TIME: Best-of-three series at Royse City High School, 8:15 p.m. Game 2 will be played at 7 p.m. Friday. If Game 3 is needed, it is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday.
AT STAKE: Class 5A bi-district title.
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MOUNT PLEASANT LINEUP: Averie Ayers, pitcher; Brooke Smallwood, catcher; Lauren Lesher, first base; Faith Anderson, second base; Blakely Cheek, third base; Jordan Dickerson, shortstop; Ashleigh Cheek, left; Kamille Gill, center; Pinky Green, right; Bree Smallwood,
DP.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Mount Pleasant's Justin Tarrant-"I'm excited about starting the playoffs. The kids have bought into what
we've been doing, and they've figured it out. We only have one senior, and she hasn't been pitching. The rest of the kids have bought into the changes we've
made.
"We played Poteet the first weekend of the season in the Sulphur Springs tournament and lost 5-3. They have a very good left-handed pitcher who is verbally committed to Virginia, and their 2-hole hitter has hit 14 home runs. Their roster shows they're as young as we are. We're going to have to hit the ball and score
runs.
"Averie went 8-0 in district play, and in the play-in game (against Texas High for seeding) she got us to the sixth up 2-0. Texas High put up a 5-spot on us, and it was hard to recover. When we get runners on we're going to have to score them."
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to play either Frisco Wakeland or McKinney North in the area round next week.
ATLANTA (12-9)
VS. VAN (17-10)
SITE, TIME: Best-of-three series, opener 7:30 p.m. Marshall's Lady Mav Field. Game 2 will be 7:30 Friday at Sulphur Springs High School, and a third game, if needed, is slated for noon Saturday at Sulphur Springs.
AT STAKE: Class 4A bi-district title.
ATLANTA LINEUP: Kaydee Kelly, pitcher; Kinsey Kelly, catcher; Rebecca Thomas, first base; Dani Arredondo, second base; Amanda Whatley, third base; Cydnee Wood, shortstop; Devin Ulmer, left; Victoria Bergt, center; Gracie Smith, right, Victoria Johnson,
DP.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Atlanta's Tobie Dunlap was unavailable for comment.
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to play either Rusk or Tyler Chapel Hill in the area round next
week.
HOOKS (25-3-1)
VS. COOPER
SITE, TIME: One game playoff at Northeast Texas Community College,
6 p.m.
AT STAKE: Class 3A bi-district title.
HOOKS LINEUP: Marena Estell, pitcher; Abby Russ, catcher; Kaylee Pope, first base; Sidney Pardue, second base; Korey Brooks, third base; Kenley Kyles, shortstop; Madison Whisenhunt, left; Brandi Hout, center; Sadie Denburger, right; Rachel Latimer,
DP.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Hooks' Neal Kiser-"Cooper was in our district the past two years; they've matured a little bit and are more disciplined this year. We need to come out hitting early. We've struggled the past couple of weeks with that, and hopefully we can regroup.
"I feel Estell will be on her game as far as pitching; I don't think they're going to be able to hit her. The key thing is making sure we get enough run support, but I don't think we're going to have a problem there."
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to play the winner of Harmony and Ore City next week in the area
round.
REDWATER (21-10)
VS. MOUNT VERNON
SITE, TIME: Best-of-three series at Pine Tree High School, 8 p.m. Game 2 will be played at 6 p.m. Friday, and if Game 3 is needed it will follow Game 2.
AT STAKE: Class 3A bi-district title.
REDWATER LINEUP: Bethanee Calicott, pitcher; Sara Easley, catcher; Crayton Bradford, first base; Keeley Wilbur, second base; Savannah Corbell, third base; Ramzi Smith, shortstop; Kelsey Harris, left; Karli Boatright, center; Jordan Walraven, right; Bailey O'Bannon, designated
player.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Redwater's John Edwards-"I think we've been playing really good in the last couple of games we've played in. We beat Hooks a couple of weeks ago, and we recently defeated Daingerfield and Paul Pewitt. The girls have been hitting the ball well, and we look forward to playing
today.
"Mount Vernon is solid defensively and have two good pithers. We just need to continue to hit the ball well, play solid defense, and pitch well. We need to just keep doing what we've been doing.
We have a lot of common opponents, and I think we're pretty even as a team; I think we hit the ball
better."
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to play either
White Oak or West Rusk in the area
round.
NEW BOSTON (21-8)
VS. PRAIRILAND (26-7)
SITE, TIME: Best-of-three series at Northeast Texas Community College's Lady Eagle Field, 8 p.m. Game 2 will be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday. If Game 3 is needed, it will follow the completion of
Game 2.
AT STAKE: Class 3A bi-district
title.
NEW BOSTON LINEUP: Morgan McAlexander, pitcher; Hannah White, catcher; Mckenzee Thomas, first base; Madison, second base; Carlee Ratcliff, third base; Alaysia Henderson, shortstop; Grace Duffer, left; Alexis Morden, center; Angel Evans,
right.
COACH'S COMMENTS: New Boston's Justin Arsenault-"We've been able to win our last couple of games, so that's always good to get on a winning streak going into the playoffs. What's helped
us out in this district is the level of competition. Week in and week out, it's a tough opponent and allmost a playoff atmosphere. That will give us experience in the end and help us out in the
playoffs.
"We were going to play Prairiland in the finals of our tournament (the second week of March). They were undefeated and we were undefeated, but we ended up getting rained out. They're pretty solid, have a good pitcher, are going to be aggressive on the bases and will put the ball in play. They're very comparable to us; it will come down to whoever executes and makes the plays at the
right time."
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to play either
Harleton or Arp in the area round next
week.
MAUD (9-6) VS. DETROIT
SITE, TIME: One game playoff at Paul Pewitt High School, 6:30 p.m.
AT STAKE: Class 2A bi-district
title.
MAUD LINEUP: Allie Houchens, pitcher; Emily Sykes, catcher; Caitlyn Poe, first base; Rachel McAnally, second base; Harley Dear, third base; Brianna Barnette, shortstop; Mackenzie O'Brian, left; Ashley Barnette, center; Courtlyne Barnette, right; Kaitlyn Wells, designated player.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Maud's Sabrina Lange-"I
am very proud of my girls, and we're excited to be
in the playoffs. I am very confident in our team's ability.
If they come out and play hard, then we'll be OK. Our bats need to be on, and we need to play solid
defense.
"Detroit has some good hitters. They have a couple of girls with speed, and they'll
put the ball in play. We've seen their pitcher, and we're
confident in our hitting ability against
her."
NEXT ROUND: Winner advances to area round next week.
McLEOD (10-6)
VS. NORTH HOPKINS
SITE, TIME: One game
playoff at Union Grove High School,
6 p.m.
AT STAKE: Class 2A bi-district
title.
MCLEOD LINEUP: Emma Parker, pitcher; Shelby Davis, catcher; Hunter Lance, first base; Tessa Glenn, second base; Anna Parker, third base; Selena Moon, shortstop; Kylee Hicks, left; Caitlin Hall, center; Elizabeth Gray,
right.
COACH'S COMMENTS: McLeod's Marty Francis-"North Hopkins finished
third in their district, and
aren't as strong as they usually are.
We should be able to hit off
their pitcher.
"If we play like we
did against Maud in our tiebreaker game, we should be
OK. We need to play good defense and hit the ball.
We are peaking at the right time as we've won four district games in
a row."
NEXT ROUND: Winner advances to area round next week.
JAMES BOWIE (7-5)
VS. RIVERCREST
SITE, TIME: One game playoff at Hughes Springs High School, 7:30
p.m.
AT STAKE: Class 2A bi-district
title.
JAMES BOWIE LINEUP: Mally Hammonds, pitcher; Mackenzie Hilton, catcher; Baylee Williams, first base; Sarah Bruce, second base;
Madison Beal, third base; Sherian Byram, shortstop; Josie Stubblefield, left; Rachel Norman, center; Lindsey Rogers, right; Savanna Smith, designated
player.
COACH'S COMMENTS: James Bowie's Brittany Stewart-"I am excited
to take this group to the
playoffs. We lost some key players last year, but
we've had some young girls
step into those key positions.
We have to play to our ability
and show up.
"Rivercrest was first place
in their district. Last year,
they were the ones
who knocked us out of the playoffs. I expect it to be a battle, and I feel like we are close to the same
level."
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to area round next week.