Softball series continues on May 5

Emma Tatsch homered to right field, scoring two runs to lead China Spring over  the Salado Lady Eagles in the bottom of the seventh of their first game in a best-of-three series for the Region III 4A Area playoff.

Salado will play game two at 11 a.m. May 5 at the Waco ISD Sports Complex. Game three, if necessary, will be played 30 minutes after game two.

Bailey Tindell was one strike away from getting a 3-2 win after Tatsch fouled and swung at her second pitch. Tatsch took her third pitch for the game-winning homer. Tatsch did the same thing in the fifth inning the week before to beat Mexia in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lady Eagles scored a run in the first and two in the fifth to lead 3-0 going into the final two at-bats for China Spring.

Piper Randolph led off the game by earning a walk. She stole second base and scroed on a double to center field by Amanda Cantu. China Spring was able to get out of the inning by leaving runners stranded at first and second.

China Spring left runners on first and second in the first and third innings and on second in the second inning. Batters reached first in the fourth and fifth innings.

Erin Faske was left on first after singling to left to lead off the second. No runners reached in the third or fourth innings for Salado.

Reese Preston walked to lead off the fifth for Salado. Elizabeth Ford reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Preston was put out trying to go to third on a fielder’s choice that put Randolph on first and Ford at second. Runners advanced on a groundout to the pitcher. Breigh Oliver hit a looping single to centerfield to score both runners and give Salado a 3-0 lead.

China Spring loaded the bases and Taylor Clark doubled to score Cam Bevins and Kyndal Starnes who both reached on singles to narrow Salado’s lead to 3-2 after six.

Preston walked and stole second in the seventh, but was left stranded.

After Tindell hit Paul with a pitch, Tatsch took an 0-2 pitch and sent it over right to score the winning runs.

China Spring had nine hits and four earned runs against Tindell.

Elisabeth Paul struck out three, walked four and allowed three hits in her win on the mound.