PARIS, Texas-Once again, it came down to the end.
Forney plated three runs in the second frame and defeated Texas High, 4-1, in Game 3 of a Class 5A area softball playoff game Friday at Paris Chisum's Mustang Field.
Lindsey Egger took the loss for the Lady Tigers (20-12), threw a complete game, struck out two, allowed seven hits and four runs.
Savanna DesRochers got the win for the Lady Jackrabbits (31-3), pitched a 3-hitter, struck out 10, walked one and allowed a run.
State-ranked Forney wins the series, 2-1, and will play Joshua or Mount Pleasant in the regionals.
Kaitlyn Cross hit an RBI single up the middle to score Vanessa Perez, who had hit an infield single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt, for Texas High's first run of the game in the third. The score put the Tigers within two, 3-1.
Controversy appeared in the seventh frame when a Forney player bunted with a runner on third and ran into the first baseman. The out was recorded at first, but the collision did not allow Cross to make the throw home.
The Lady Jackrabbits took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh. The pitcher retired the Texas High side to clinch the win.
Forney left nine on base, while the Tigers stranded two.
Forney led off the first with back-to-back singles and loaded the bases with an out.
Egger got out of the jam without incident by inducing a pop fly and a groundout.
Lauren Allred slapped a two-out single up the middle for Texas High in the first. Allred stole second base but was left stranded.
Kennedy Johnson reached on an error and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt for the Lady Jackrabbits in the second frame.
In a controversial play, the next batter, Jessika Roberts, put down a sacrifice bunt and collided with Vanessa Perez, who was covering first. The ball sailed to the first-base side fence as a run scored. Roberts ended up on third.
Tiger coach Robbie Hatfield protested, but the umpires did not overturn the call.
Caleigh Cross laced in an RBI single to right center, and, a batter later, Trinity Cannon smacked an RBI double to give Forney a 3-0 lead.
#
Forney=030=000=1=-=4=7=0
Texas High=001=000=0=-=1=3=5
Savanna DesRochers and Vanessa Hollingsworth. Lindsey Egger and Kylee Spriggs. WP-DesRochers. LP-Egger.