SOFTBALL PLAYOFF UPDATE | Troup wins opener; Gladewater, WO slip; rain won the rest, and here’s the updated schedule

EDITOR’S NOTE: For updates on the high school baseball teams in the ETBlitz.com coverage area, here’s our story: BASEBALL WARM-UP GAMES, PLAYOFF UPDATES | Lots of things not yet set, but here’s where we are (more on Tatum, LC, Troup, Overton).

For the most part, the area’s high school softball teams that made the playoffs weren’t able to get their first-round games in on Thursday – the rain won the day.

Not in Lindale, though, where Troup’s Lady Tigers did what they almost always do: find a way to get the job done.

Troup faced Edgewood in game one of their UIL 3A, Division II playoff, 8-3.

It was business as usual for a recent two-time Whataburger / ETBlitz.com Player of the Week award-winner, Taylor Gillispie, as she had a double, a single and 3 RBI, and on the mound, helped get the win with a complete-game, nine-strikeout performance.

Also for the Lady Tigers, Makayla Spencer had two hits and an RBI, and Heather Longino had a hit and 2 RBI.

Game two of the series is tonight (Friday), a 7 p.m. start, and if a game three is necessary, it’ll be Saturday at noon.

All games are being played at Lindale High School, and anyone who goes will need this ticket link: Lindale High School Troup-Edgewood softball. Tickets are $6 for adults, and $4 for students.

Troup (25-5) or Edgewood (20-10-1) will advance to play either Harmony or DeKalb in round two.

Gladewater

The Lady Bears’ UIL Class 3A, Division I series with Malakoff also got started, although game one didn’t work out well for the black and orange on the Tyler Legacy High School campus.

Malakoff (20-7-1) scored four runs in the first and were just placing the ball where it needed to be, finishing with 17 hits and a 17-2 win.

Oddly enough, that’s exactly how the hits broke down: Malakoff had 17, and unfortunately for the Lady Bears and their fans, they had two: senior Karlee Moses had a single and an RBI, and sophomore Janiah Strickland had a single, as well.

Kadance Martin and Claire Townsend scored the runs for Gladewater (10-15-1).

Game two (and game three if needed) will be back at Tyler Legacy on Saturday, although we are efforting to get a start time on that. We’ll have it here as soon as we know.

White Oak

The Ladynecks (14-13-1) also got to open their 3A-DI series against Mineola in Winnsboro, but came up short, 13-3, on Thursday night.

Game two will be tonight (Friday), back at Winnsboro, a 6 p.m. first-pitch, and game three: Saturday at 5, again at Winnsboro.

Tickets are $7 each for adults, and $5 each for students. Purchase them here: Hudl – Tickets.

Henderson, Gilmer

In the UIL Class 4A, Division I playoffs, Henderson (22-6-1) had been scheduled to open its best-of-three-game series with game one at Van (23-5) on Thursday afternoon, against Van. That didn’t happen, as the weather forced the postponement.

Now the series will begin today (Friday) at 2 p.m., still at Van, and game two will also be Friday – on the schedule we’re seeing, game two is still slated for Henderson Friday afternoon, at 4. It’s likely that if Henderson is hosting game two, it won’t be at 4 p.m.

We’re efforting to get the information on game two, and when we do, it’ll be posted here.

Game three if needed would be at Henderson on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Gilmer’s best-of-three series against Lindale, to be played at Pine Tree High School in Longview, was also supposed to have begun Thursday night, but was also claimed by rain.

The Lady Buckeyes (21-4-2) will play game one of the series against the Lady Eagles (17-9-1) tonight (Friday) at 6 p.m. Game two will still be Saturday, but at 1 p.m., and if a game three is necessary, it’ll begin shortly after the conclusion of game two.

Tickets are $5 each for adults, $3 each for students and need to be purchased online. Here’s the link for game one: Gilmer vs Lindale – BIDISTRICT SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SERIES – Game 1 | Pine Tree ISD Box Office.

For game two, and if necessary, game three: Lindale vs Gilmer – BIDISTRICT SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SERIES – Game 2 (and 3 if necessary) | Pine Tree ISD Box Office.

The Gilmer-Lindale winner will meet either Sulphur Springs (22-7) or Wills Point (7-13-1) in round two next week.

Overton

The Lady Mustangs (16-10-1), facing Cross Roads (24-9) in the UIL’s Class 2A, Division II playoffs, did the exact same format as Gilmer-Lindale.

The series is being played at Athens High School, and game one was a wash on Thursday.

Now, the series opens tonight (Friday) at Athens, a 6 p.m. first-pitch, and game two is Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. Game three, if necessary, would be 30 minutes after game two.

Overton might be looking for revenge here: Cross Roads ended the Lady Mustangs’ season last year in the third round of the playoffs.

Arp

Another 20-plus-game winner in Arp had its first-round series postponed a night for the weather, as well.

Arp’s Lady Tigers had to change game one with Grand Saline, as well, when the rain was too much on Thursday.

Arp (25-5) meets Grand Saline (20-8-1) on Friday at 5 p.m., also at Lindale for game one.

Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students, and game one tickets are available here: Arp vs. Grand Saline- GAME 1 of series | Lindale Box Office.

Game two is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. in Lindale, with game three to follow if needed. Tickets are the same price, and here’s the link: Arp vs Grand Saline- GAME 2 of series | Lindale Box Office.