WHITEHOUSE, Texas - After falling in Game 1 and a lengthy weather delay that spilled over into midnight in Game 2, Liberty-Eylau won the final two games of the series with Bullard to win the Class 4A Region II regional quarterfinal title.
The Leopards (27-9-2) beat Bullard in the second game, 7-5, and the Leopards won the rubber match over the Panthers, 3-1.
L-E will face Godley in the regional semifinals next week.
Game 3
Liberty-Eylau was able to jump to an early lead in the top of the second inning.
Hunter Burks drove in Braylon Blair with one out, after Blair stole second base for the Leopards.
Nate Moore added to the Leopards' lead in the top of the third, driving in Zander Hall from third, giving L-E a 2-0 edge over the Panthers.
Moore ended the game going 1 for 4 with a RBI and teammate Colby Brooks finished 1 for 4 with a double at the dish for the Leopards.
Moore tossed a complete game for the Leopards. He gave up one run, three hits and walked one batter.
Blair slapped a double between center and right-field, driving in Zach Brush in the top of the fifth inning for L-E, giving the Leopards a 3-0 cushion over Bullard. Brush finished 1 for 3 with a run scored for Liberty-Eylau.
Bullard answered back in the sixth inning, after Gage Wakefield tripled down the third base line and crossed home plate on a Leopard balk.
Wakefield ended the game 1 for 2 with a triple and run scored for the Panthers.
Game 2
The second game of this series was played completely in the rain late Friday.
The Leopards jumped on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning after Hunter Burks drove in Braylon Blair. Burks finished the game 3 for 3 with 2 RBI at the dish, while Blair went 3 for 3 with two runs scored for L-E.
Both teams were held in check by both pitchers.
Gage Bellatti received the win on the hill for the Leopards. Bellatti tossed six innings, gave up five hits, struck out four batters and gave four runs.
The Panthers captured their first lead of the game after Gage Wakefield and Hagan Smith each scored on Leopard wild pitches in the top of the sixth inning.
Brandon Taylor and Chase Randall added a RBI apiece in the top of the sixth inning, giving Bullard a 4-1 edge over the Leopards.
Taylor finished Game 2 going 1 for 3 with a RBI and run scored for the Panthers, while teammate Randall finished 3 for 3 at the dish with a double and RBI.
Nate Moore drove in Zach Brush, Ron Garza and Colby Brooks for the Leopards, tying Bullard in the bottom of the sixth inning, 4-4. Moore ended the night going 1 for 3 with 3 RBI at the plate for L-E.
Blair, Burk and Bryce Blackwell, all scored a run for the Leopards in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs, giving L-E the 7-4 advantage heading into the final frame. Blackwell finished 1 for 3 at the plate with a run scored for L-E, and teammate Xander Worthey finished 1 for 3 at the dish