EASTLAND – The Bangs Lady Dragons’ softball season reached its conclusion Saturday with a 6-3 loss to Breckenridge in Game 3 of their Region I-3A softball bi-district playoff series.
District 8-3A third seed Bangs (15-10) won Game 1 by a 3-1 count Thursday, but fell 9-2 Friday to District 7-3A runner-up Breckenridge (20-8) to force Saturday’s series tiebreaker.
Breckenridge scored the first three runs of the game, but Bangs drew even in the top of the fifth inning by scoring all three of its runs. Mariah Ruiz reached on a one-out single, the Emily Baker reached on a Breckenridge miscue. Sierra Lorah followed with RBI ground out that plated Ruiz with Bangs’ first run. Jacee Miller then launched a two-out, two-run home run to right field to plate herself and Baker with the tying runs.
Breckenridge reclaimed a 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning and tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth.
The Lady Dragons were limited to three hits – by Miller, Ruiz and Lorah – and struck out 12 times.
Bangs pitcher Abby Wolf surrendered two earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and two walks over six innings. The Lady Dragons defense committed three errors.
Breckenridge advances to face District 6-3A champion Merkel in the area round of the playoffs.