PHOTO: Whitesboro sophomore Avery Howerton fires a pitch against Emory Rains on Tuesday night from Wylie. Howerton had 14 Ks as Whitesboro won 4-2. (Credit: Matthew Smith)
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WHITESBORO 4, EMORY RAINS 2: Pitcher Avery Howerton fired 14 strikeouts as Whitesboro beat Rains in Game 1 of the Class 3A Region 2 championship on Tuesday night at Wylie. Game 2 is scheduled for 630 pm Thursday at Wylie HS. Both runs allowed by Howerton were unearned in the third inning. She allowed five hits overall and held Rains scoreless in the final four innings.
Howerton is coming off a brilliant regional semifinal round over Queen City. She pitched both games in the sweep and allowed just three hits and no earned runs overall with 19 strikeouts.
On Tuesday against 2023 state semifinalist Rains, the Bearcats got RBIs by Keely Hartless, Mel Baldwin, Oli Hildebrand and Addi McBride. Bradi Gallaway started the game with a lead off single and advanced on a sac bunt. She scored on a two-out single by Baldwin as Whitesboro led 1-0 after the first inning.
Rains is the defending regional champ and reached state last season – the fourth time since 2018. The Wildcats beat Whitesboro in last year’s regional championship in two games.
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MELISSA 5, FORNEY 2: Texas commit Caigan Crabtree hit her 19th home run to spark a four-run fourth inning as Melissa rallied past Forney in Game 1 of the Class 5A Region 2 championship on Tuesday night at Lucas Lovejoy. Game 2 will be determined – either 7 pm Wednesday or Thursday from Lovejoy (weather pending). Michigan State commit Alex Starr didn’t allow a run in the final four innings and gave up just one earned. She picked up her second strikeout on the final out of the game with two on and the tying run at the plate.
Forney, in its first regional final since 2019, drops Game 1 for the third straight playoff round. The Jackrabbits rallied to take a doubleheader on Saturday to eliminate Prosper Walnut Grove in the regional semifinals. On Tuesday against Melissa, they got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning.
This week’s GM Hitter Of The Week Mary Newville hit a lead off single for Forney and scored on the next batter as Eva Daniels (UNT commit) ripped a pitch down the third base line for an RBI double and 1-0 lead. Forney extended its lead to 2-0 in the third when Newville picked up her second single and advanced to second on a fielding error. Daniels hit a fly ball to right while the Melissa outfielder mis-read the ball and had to run in for a diving catch attempt. The ball dropped and Newville came across.
But in the top of the fourth, Crabtree hit a towering homer to deep center for her 19th and Melissa’s 89th as a team this season – a state record. Shug Bradford added an RBI single and Rihanna Wheeler followed with a two-run double to the center field wall. Lulu Adrian, who has a DFW record 22 homers, added an RBI single to left in the sixth inning.
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CANTON 11, AUBREY 4: Payton Bray hit two three-run home runs as Canton blew by Aubrey in Game 1 of the Class 4A Region 2 championship on Tuesday night at Royse City. Game 2 is scheduled for 7 pm Thursday from Royse City HS. Canton, which is having its deepest playoff run, scored five runs in the fifth inning to pull away.
Aubrey, the defending regional champ which made state last season, took a 2-1 lead in the third on a two-run double from catcher Abby Buxton. Bray hit an inside the park homer – driving in three in the fifth to help the Eagles take an 8-2 lead. She added a three-run bomb in the sixth.
Buxton had three RBI while Buxton, Keeli Fuller and Carmen Alexander all had two hits. Brynlie Dunkin (Texas Woman’s) went 3 for 3 from the plate for the Chaparrals.
Dunkin pitched for Aubrey and allowed just two earned runs.
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