Local teams set for baseball, softball playoffs

May 2—Three local softball teams will step up in the playoffs this week while three baseball teams will face their first playoff tests.

Royse City, Quinlan Ford and Celeste all advanced to the area round of the girls playoffs with bi-district victories last week.

Royse City swept Garland 8-5 and 10-0 in a Class 6A bi-district playoff series. The 22-9-1 Lady Bulldogs are to face 26-7-1 Mansfield Legacy in a best-of-three area series. Game one was scheduled for Wednesday in Duncanville, with game two planned for 7 p.m. Thursday at Forney.

Quinlan Ford, which swept Caddo Mills 7-5 and 7-1 in a Class 4A bi-district series, is to take on Sulphur Springs in one game for the area championship at 5 p.m. Friday at Commerce High School.

Celeste, a 10-7 winner over Honey Grove in a Class 2A bi-district playoff, is to face Italy in a best-of-three area series set for Forney High School. Game one was to start on Wednesday, with game two at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Royse City, Wolfe City and Campbell are headed to the baseball playoffs.

Royse City, the fourth seed from District 10-6A, is to face 9-6A champion Sachse in a best-of-three series. Game one is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Sachse. Game two is planned for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Royse City.

Wolfe City, which was fourth in District 12-2A, will take on 11-2A champion Collinsville in a one game bi-district playoff at 5 p.m. Thursday at Melissa.

Campbell, the runner-up in District 12-2A, will take on 11-2A champion Ector in a one-game Class A bi-district playoff at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Paris Chisum.

Aubrey Watkins and Haley Gardella homered as the Royse City Lady Bulldogs completed a Class 6A bi-district softball sweep over Garland with a 10-0 home win.

Watkins slugged two home runs and drove in four runs with three hits. She's now hit five homers for the season.

Gardella slugged a two-run homer in the first inning, the 27th of her school record-setting career at Royse City.

Wyleigh Hewitt also drove in two runs as she drew a walk and was hit by a pitch, both times with the bases loaded.

Royse City pitcher Abby Mangrum shut out Garland on just one hit. She struck out nine and walked none.

Legacy won the District 11-6A title with a 13-1 record and won its bi-district playoff series over Hutto, 2-1 and 16-2.

Ford freshman pitcher Payton Perez checked Caddo Mills on five hits and gave up only an unearned run in the 7-1 win. Perez walked two and struck out eight.

Lillian Barraza homered and doubled to lead Ford at the plate. She drove in three runs. Preslielyn Barraza, Keely Boyer, Lillee Walls and Presley Junell also pounded two hits for Ford. Barraza, Boyer and Walls all scored two runs.

Lillian Barraza, Walls and Perez pounded two hits each for Ford in the 7-5 win.

Sulphur Springs swept Brownsboro 5-2 and 12-0 in its bi-district series.

Celeste, now 11-12-1 for the season, will face 25-7 Italy in the area round of the playoffs. Italy won its bi-district playoff 7-1 over Moody for the Lady Gladiators' 16th straight victory.

Morgan Nickell led Celeste at the plate in its win over Honey Grove, driving in five runs with a home run, triple and single.

Madilen Fronterhouse, also the winning pitcher, scored three runs off three hits and drove in a run. MaddieClaire Park doubled and scored three runs. Jada Garcia also pounded two hits and scored two runs. Sydnee Dickens also had a hit and an RBI.

Italy won its bi-district playoff game, 7-1 over Moody.

The 23-9-1 Royse City Bulldogs went 6-6 in district play while Sachse was 15-1 in 9-6A.

Collinsville is 29-2 and won the District 11-2 title with a perfect record.

State softball playoffs

Class 6A bi-district — Royse City 8, Garland 5; Royse City 10, Garland 0.

Class 6A area — Royse City vs. Mansfield Legacy, Game 1, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Duncanville; Game 2, 7 p.m. Thursday, Forney; Game 3, if necessary, TBA.

Class 4A bi-district — Quinlan Ford 7, Caddo Mills 5; Quinlan Ford 7, Caddo Mills 1.

Class 4A area — Quinlan Ford vs. Sulphur Springs, 5 p.m. Friday, Commerce High School.

Class 2A bi-district — Trenton 15, Bland 1; Trenton 18, Bland 3.

Class 2A bi-district — Celeste 10, Honey Grove 7.

Class 2A area — Celeste vs. Italy, Game 1, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Forney; Game 2, 6 p.m. Friday, Forney; Game 3, (if necessary), noon Saturday, Forney.

State baseball playoffs

Class 6A bi-district playoffs

Royse City vs. Sachse, Game 1, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sachse; Game 2, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Royse City; Game 3 (if necessary), 1 p.m. Saturday, Sachse.

Class 2A bi-district playoffs

Wolfe City vs. Collinsville, 5 p.m. Thursday, Melissa.

Class A bi-district baseball

Campbell vs. Ector, 5:30 p.m.Friday, Paris Chisum.