Haskell softball pushes regional semifinal series to game three, avenging game one loss

ABILENE – Needing a win to avoid a sweep, the Haskell softball team evened the Class 2A regional semifinal series against Forsan winning game two 12-3 at Poly Wells Field on Friday.

Repeating the theme from their game one loss, the Maidens (22-5) jumped on the Lady Buffs (27-7-1) in the top of the first inning scoring four runs. Unlike the game one loss, though, Haskell held onto its lead and did not allow Forsan to punch back in the later innings, holding the Lady Buffs to no runs in the final four innings.

“We told the team to stay resilient, play the ball that we know how to play and to stay at it,” Haskell coach Emily Hutchinson said. “Our message all year has been to play the Maiden way and play up to our ability.”

For the Lady Buffs, the loss to Haskell marks their first loss of the postseason and snaps a 19-game winning streak dating back to early March.

HS BASEBALL:Yellowjackets four-year journey pays off with first playoff win since program rebirth

On Thursday, Forsan dug itself out of an early deficit holding the Maidens to zero runs in the final four innings and scoring 14 runs in the same span. However, they could not create the same magic after an uncharacteristic five fielding errors by the end of the seventh. They came into Saturday with 65 errors on the season over 34 games, good for just under two per game.

“Our A-game wasn’t there today and that’s going to happen,” Forsan softball coach Jason Phillips said. “We’ve been playing really well for a long time… And we kind of stubbed our toe today a little bit.”

What’s next?

Forsan won the coin toss for game three and will be the home team when the two teams face off in a win-or-go-home game at Abilene Christian’s Poly Wells Field on Sunday at 4 p.m. The winner will face off against either Floydada (26-7-1) or Anson (19-11) in the Region 1-2A final.

WEST TEXAS HS STADIUM SURVEY:The West Texas High School Stadium Survey: Looking at the football stadiums in West Texas

Box Score

Haskell 4 0 3 0 1 1 3 – 12

Forsan 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 – 3

Hits – Haskell, 14; Forsan 4

Errors – Haskell, 1; Forsan 5