EARLY – The Early Lady Horns softball team flipped the script on its 2022 postseason appearance, rallying from a one-game deficit in a best-of-three series to earn a bi-district championship.

Following Thursday’s 7-4 loss to District 7-3A fourth seed Jacksboro, the District 8-3A champion Lady Horns collected victories of 9-8 and 18-17 Saturday night in a 6 hour, 35 minute doubleheader – coming from behind both times to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

A season ago, the Lady Horns picked up a Game 1 win but dropped the final two games of their bi-district series with Henrietta.

With Saturday’s victories, the Lady Horns will face District 5-3A runner-up Llano – who defeated District 6 third seed Clyde two games to one – next weekend in Region I-3A area round action.

In Saturday night’s decisive Game 3, the Lady Horns (28-5-2) jumped out to an 8-0 lead over Jacksboro (24-13) in the top of the first inning, then fended off multiple rallies by the Tigerettes.

Teagan Lopez started the scoring for Early with a two-run triple that scored Marissa Reedy, who reached on an error, and Stoney Laughlin, who doubled. Jordan Simmons then reached on a dropped third strike, allowing Lopez to come home on the play for a 3-0 lead. Reagan Shults followed with a two-RBI single that scored Aubrey Greaves, who was hit by a pitch, and Simmons for a 5-0 cushion. Madison Torrez then laid down a sacrifice bunt coupled with an error that scored Averey Horton, who walked, with the sixth run. Reedy then delivered a two-RBI single that brought home Torrez and Shults for an 8-0 advantage.

Jacksboro clawed back into the contest with one run in the bottom of the first and five more in the second to trim the deficit to 8-6.

Early stretched the lead to 9-6 in the top of third as Laughlin walked and Lopez singled with two outs. Following a double steal in which Laughlin moved to third and Lopez to second, an errant throw allowed Laughlin to cross the plate.

Jacksboro got that run back in the bottom half of the third, again creeping with two runs at 9-7.

The Lady Horns padded their cushion to 12-7 in the top of the fourth as Simmons and Greaves walked, then Simmons scored when Horton reached on an error. Greaves later came home on a passed ball, and Laughlin singled home Horton.

Jacksboro refused to go away, however, and pushed six runs across the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning to forge ahead, 13-12.

With bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, the Lady Horns pieced together five runs to prolong the contest and regain control. Gabby Leal, running for Grace LaRue, who walked, scored on a passed ball to knot the score at 13. Brooklyn McCullough then drew a bases-loaded walk, which scored Simmons, who also walked, to give the Lady Horns a 14-13 edge. Reedy then delivered a bases-clearing, three-RBI triple that gave Early a 17-13 advantage and Laughlin followed with an RBI single that plated Reedy for an 18-13 lead.

Every run the Lady Horns scored was needed, as once again Jacksboro made a charge in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a grand slam to close the gap to 18-17 with no outs in the inning. The Tigerettes got two more runners aboard but left them stranded as Early prevailed, recording the final out at 1:05 a.m. Sunday.

Early finished with nine hits, drew 10 walks and four hit batters, and capitalized on five Jacksboro errors.

Laughlin and Lopez led the way with three hits each, Reedy added two and Shults chipped in one. Reedy finished with a team-best five RBIs while Lopez, Laughlin and Shults were each credited with two apiece.

In the circle, LaRue worked 5.1 innings and gave up 10 runs – seven earned – on seven hits with three strikeouts and five walks. Lopez logged the win in relief, allowing seven runs – three earned – on four hits with one strikeout and four walks in 1.2 innings. The Early defense committed four errors.

In Saturday’s first game, Lopez ripped a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to break an 8-all tie.

The Lady Horns rallied from deficits of 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning and 7-4 in the fourth to get back into the contest.

Early evened the score at 3-all in the second as Torrez reached on an error that scored Horton, who singled earlier, and LaRue and Greaves scored on passed balls after reaching on an error and a single, respectively.

The Lady Horns later knotted the score at 7 with three runs in the fourth as Torrez singled and scored on Reedy’s RBI triple. Lopez followed with an RBI sacrifice fly, and LaRue’s RBI ground out drove in Laughlin, who walked.

Early took an 8-7 lead in the fifth as Reedy reached on an error that plated Greaves, who walked to start the frame.

Jacksboro pulled even at 8 in the top of the sixth on a solo home run.

The Lady Horns finished with seven hits, drew six walks and Jacksboro committed six errors.

Lopez and LaRue led the way with two hits each and Horton and Torrez added one apiece.

In the circle, Lopez went the distance and gave up eight runs – seven earned – on 11 hits with seven strikeouts and five walks.