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Back on the Attack: Pair of big innings draw Lady Wildcats even with Mansfield Legacy
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
The Plano Senior softball team didn't seem nervous after losing Game 1 of its best-of-3 area playoff series against Mansfield Legacy.
After all, the Lady Wildcats had won postseason series in 2010 against Flower Mound and 2011 against Hebron facing that exact same scenario.
Plano will have an opportunity to replicate that pattern in 2012 as well as Friday's 8-3 victory forced a decisive Game 3 between the two top 10-ranked state squads.
The cheering took a back seat in the top of the third inning though as Legacy's Savannah Stech reached on a single and Briana Walker deposited a two-run homer over the fence to give the Lady Broncos a 2-0 lead.
The Lady Wildcats would answer emphatically over the next two frames.
In the bottom of the third, Plano's newly-formed deficit was quickly erased. After junior Julia Knight was plunked, senior Kristen Miles reached on a bunt single with both moved over by senior Jill Holub. Senior Mackenzie Velasquez followed with an RBI and senior Ashley McDowell then plated a pair to give the Lady Wildcats their first lead at 3-2.
The same players would play a prominent role in the fourth inning scoring.
Junior Calli Irvin got what would eventually be a four-run frame started with a solo homer to make it 4-2. Then, Knight reached base and Miles followed with another hit. That set the stage for a 2-RBI triple from Velasquez and McDowell added on with a ground out to plate Velasquez and up Plano's cushion to 7-2.
"I think the girls were really stoked that they came out tonight and hit the way they are capable of," Zea said.
Plano tagged on an insurance run in the sixth when Knight hit a homer, her second in the past three playoff games, to make it 8-2.
Legacy got one run back in the seventh, but that merely shortened the deficit to 8-3 as Plano senior pitcher Kat Batey, who went the distance and allowed six hits, closed the contest out and evened the series at 1-1.
"It was a complete game tonight," Zea said. "We got timely hitting and great defense too, those girls were sliding all over the place making plays. Kat was on too and hitting her spots, it was golden."
As Plano was able to win on its home field, Legacy did the same Thursday in Game 1, picking up a 5-3 victory. There will be no such natural home field advantage in Game 3 as the series shifts to Grapevine (results not available at press time).
"This was a big win," Zea said, "and we're looking forward to Saturday."
The winner of that game advances to the regional quarterfinals to face the winner of Hebron-L.D. Bell, which also wrapped its series Saturday.
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