LONGVIEW, Texas - Hughes Springs scored in all but one inning and run-ruled Tatum, 14-1, in a Class 3A bi-district softball game Thursday at Spring Hill High School.
The 10th-ranked Lady Mustangs (23-4) took a 4-0 lead in the second but broke open the game in the fourth and were never seriously challenged.
Hughes Springs advances to next week's area round to play either DeKalb or Chapel Hill. DeKalb won the series opener, 5-1, Wednesday and host's CH today.
The Lady Eagles (7-17-2) avoided the shutout with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Pinch-hitter Emma Wiley worked a two-out walk for Tatum, stole second and advanced to third as the throw went into center field.
Trinity Edwards singled to score Wiley before Hughes Springs hurler Maggie Pate notched her eighth strikeout to end the game.
Pate tossed a 2-hitter, walked three against her eight Ks, and needed 77 pitches.
The Mustangs stranded a pair of runners in the first but wouldn't waste their chances in the second inning.
Presley Richardson worked a leadoff walk in the second frame, and Madison Heller ripped a one-out double to right-center. Cali Freeman legged out a bunt single to plate Richardson, and Heller came around from second as the first baseman mishandled the throw.
Emma McKinney lined a double into right-center, and the center fielder made an errant throw to the backstop, allowing Freeman to score. Grace Pippin's bunt single resulted in another error at first, scoring McKinney, and Karen Searcy also bunted for a hit before a fielder's choice and fly ball ended the inning.
In the third, a pair of one-out walks for the Mustangs preceded Freeman's RBI double to left to give Hughes Springs a 5-0 lead.
Pippin belted the first pitch of the fourth inning over the wall in left to make it 6-0. That started an 8-run inning for the Mustangs, who sent 12 batters to the dish in the frame.
Searcy lined a single to right, Jacee Short had an infield single, and Shea Nelson bunted for a hit to load the bases. Richardson singled to left to plate a run, and a wild pitch scored Short.
After a hit batsman, a fielder's choice accounted for a double play as the second baseman stepped on the bag and threw home in time to get the second baserunner attempting to score.
McKinney singled home two, Pippin doubled home another, and Searcy tripled in the final run of the inning for a 13-0 lead.
In the fifth, pinch-hitter Hailey Crews followed Nelson's leadoff double with an RBI double.
Tatum had just two baserunners through three innings, both coming on walks. Baylea Densman broke up the no-hit bid with a hard-hit single to center in the bottom of the fourth inning.