BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportmedia1
========================
Springtown opened the playoffs with a 17-1 victory over Fort Worth Southwest during their one game Class 4A Division 1 bi-district playoff on Friday April 25. It was a special moment for the program as the Porcupines won their first bi-district title since 2022.
But it was also a special win for the players, who were facing one of the toughest weeks they have ever faced. Two days before, freshman Kaylee Ratliff passed away at the young age of 15.
Ratliff had appeared in 15 games this season – helping Springtown to a district title in 7-4A.
Kaylee was born in Fort Worth in 2009 to her parents Chad and Ashley and was described as a vibrant and outgoing person – living life to the fullest. She loved being out on the field playing softball, hitting the lake on jet skis, getting geared up to go hunting, revving up and riding 4-wheelers, casting out a pole and fishing, being silly and making Tik Toks, laying out and getting a tan, going shopping and playing with and loving her dog Aspen.
Springtown improved to 19-7 on the season and faces Stephenville in the area round.
The 3-game series begins Thursday at Weatherford College.
According to MaxPreps, Ratliff’s final game was April 11 against Castleberry, where the Porcupines won 11-1. She had two at-bats. The game prior on April 8 against Bridgeport, she hit her first career home run during a 10-3 win and just a day before that against Lake Worth, Ratliff drove in two runs in a 19-2 victory.
Against Southwest in the playoff opener, Kaylee Falcon and Kylee Spray combined for four innings with two hits allowed and seven strikeouts. Reiss De La Fuente homered and Ava Fernandez went 3 for 4 with a double and three runs batted in. Makinze Nation and Kaylie Houghton both had two RBIs.
