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Next Level: McKinney, Boyd face new challenges as playoffs progress
By Andrew Snyder, asnyder@starlocalnews.com
McKinney North was the only McKinney ISD softball team to face elimination in the first round of the playoffs, as the Lady Bulldogs were swept in a best-of-3 series by Frisco Wakeland. McKinney and McKinney Boyd will advance to area-round action after wins over Carrollton Creekview and Richardson, respectively.
McKinney (20-15, 10-4 in District 10-4A) vs. Dallas Hillcrest (16-3. 12-0 in District 12-4A)
Best-of-3 area playoff series
Game 2: 5:30 p.m. Friday at Frisco Heritage
Game 3 (if necessary): Friday following Game 2
One round in and the Lionettes have already proven their mettle.
After falling behind in its bi-district series against Carrollton Creekview, McKinney rallied behind pitcher Chelsea Thomas to win back-to-back games and upset the Lady Mustangs. The series win marked the first time since 1998 that the Lionettes have advanced past the opening round.
They now face Dallas Hillcrest in the second round. Hillcrest advanced to the playoffs after an undefeated district run and didn't slow down one bit in bi-district play, where it notched a 23-1 win over Pinkston.
Pinkston committed 14 errors against Hillcrest, which has savaged Dallas ISD competition this season but performed poorly against non-district opponents such as Celina, who beat the Lady Panthers by a comfortable 15-2 margin, and Flower Mound Marcus, who won 18-0.
Hillcrest has been eliminated in the area round the past three seasons.
To get past that mark this year, the Lady Panthers will have to figure out how to hit Thomas – a feat plenty of teams have struggled with this season. The sophomore pitcher threw back-to-back no-hitters during district play and had sported a 1.66 ERA and 22 strikeouts in three games against Creekview.
McKinney Boyd (27-5, 14-0 in District 10-5A) vs. Mesquite (16-8, 8-2 in District 11-5A)
Game 1: 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Boyd
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mesquite
Game 3: 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Plano Senior
After rolling into the playoffs with an undefeated district championship to their name, the Lady Broncos took their dominant run to another level with a 22-0 win over Richardson in a one-game bi-district playoff.
Mesquite had a tougher time advancing. The Lady Skeeters took a best-of-3 playoff series against A&M Consolidated to the wire, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning of Game 3 to pull off a series-deciding, 5-4 win.
Things won't be getting any easier for Mesquite, as it now faces a red-hot Boyd squad that has won its last 17 games. In the opening round, the Lady Broncos scored 15 runs in a single inning, an onslaught that included a two-run home run from freshman McKenna Henry.
Boyd will look to keep its bats rolling against Mesquite pitcher Victoria Bice, who pitched all three games against A&M, when the teams' series gets underway Thursday. The Lady Broncos will counter with one of two freshman pitchers on the roster: Riley Wagner and Erin Riding.
Wagner threw three scoreless innings against Richardson.
The winner of the series will advance to face the winner of Garland-Temple in the regional quarterfinals. The Lady Broncos are already plenty familiar with the Lady Owls, as they swept them with 11-1 and 1-0 wins during district.
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