SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS BEGIN TODAY! | Seven teams from the ETBlitz.com area open postseason tonight
It’s playoff time in softball, and seven high school programs in the ETBlitz.com coverage area have a dream of playing for a state championship.
The playoff fever in Henderson is really catching. The Lady Lions open the UIL Class 4A, Division I (larger enrollment) playoffs TODAY at 4 p.m. against Van.
It’s a best-of-three-game series, so the winner of two games takes it, and advances on to the second, or area, round to face either Nevada Community (11-4-1) or Pleasant Grove (8-9-1).
Game two is Friday, also at 4 p.m., but at Van, and if game three is needed to decide the thing, it’ll be Saturday at 3 p.m., back at Henderson.
Henderson begins the playoffs on a six-game winning streak – the Lady Lions haven’t lost a single game in April. They’re 22-6-1 overall and finished the District 16-4A schedule at 10-2, the second-best record in the district.
Van sure isn’t chopped liver. More like chopped – lobster. The Lady Vandals are 23-5 overall, but they went 11-0 in winning their district, and have won 20 straight games; their last loss was back on Feb. 22, to Henderson district rival Gilmer.
Gilmer
Speaking of the Lady Buckeyes, they won 16-4A, with a 21-4-2 overall record and a 10-2 record in district.
They’re also in the 4A-Division I softball playoffs, and they’ll open a best-of-three first-round series tonight. It’s against Lindale, and it’ll be at Pine Tree High School in Longview, a 6:30 p.m. first-pitch.
Games two and three will both be Saturday, and in game three’s case, if necessary, also both at Pine Tree. Game two will start at 11 a.m., and if a game three is needed, it’ll follow game two after a brief break.
Gilmer has won three straight games as they open the postseason. Lindale is 17-9-1 overall, finished third in their district with a 6-4 record there, and are 3-2 in their last five games.
The Gilmer-Lindale winner will meet either Sulphur Springs (22-7) or Wills Point (7-13-1) in round two next week.
District 16-3A
Troup
Troup won one of the state’s toughest districts in softball. The Lady Tigers are 24-5 overall, went 12-1 in district play, and have a 12-game winning streak going as they open the 3A-Division II playoffs tonight.
Game one of their first-round series against Edgewood (20-9-1) will be tonight at 5 p.m. at Lindale High School.
The entire series is set to be played at Lindale. Game two is Friday night at 7 p.m., and if game three is needed, it’ll be Saturday at noon.
Tickets won’t be available at the gate; anyone going will need this link: Lindale High School Troup-Edgewood softball. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students.
The Troup-Edgewood winner will meet either DeKalb (25-4) or Harmony (11-10-1) next week in the second round.
Arp
Arp’s Lady Tigers (25-5 overall, 11-2 in district) only had two losses in 16-3A in the entire schedule, and they were both to Troup. And Arp also dealt Troup its only district loss.
So both Lady Tigers teams are fairly salty.
Arp will open the 3A-DII playoffs tonight in Lindale, right after the conclusion of Troup-Edgewood, around 7 p.m. Arp will face Grand Saline (20-8-1). Grand Saline did lose its last regular season game, but also won its district with a 10-2 record.
Just like Troup-Edgewood, anyone going to the game tonight at Lindale will need a link to buy tickets online, and here it is: Arp vs. Grand Saline- GAME 1 of series | lindaleisd Box Office.
Game two will be Friday at 5 p.m., and if a game three is needed, it’ll be Saturday at 2 – both of those will also be in Lindale.
The Arp-Grand Saline series winner will face either Hooks (20-7) or New Diana (17-8-1) in the area, or second, round next week.
Gladewater
The Lady Bears are in the postseason, and since Gladewater and White Oak have the two larger enrollments, they’re both in 3A-DI.
Gladewater (10-14-1) will be in a best-of-three series against Malakoff’s Lady Tigers (19-7-1), and it begins tonight at 7 p.m. at Tyler Legacy.
Anyone going will need this link to buy tickets: TYLER ISD – Gladewater vs. Malakoff, softball playoffs. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students.
Gladewater or Mineola will advance to round two to meet either Hughes Springs (23-3) or Atlanta (17-9-1).
White Oak
The Ladynecks would love to get into the 3A-DI playoffs and heat up, like they did last year, and make a nice playoff run.
It’ll open tonight at Winnsboro, a 6 p.m. start for game one of a best-of-three-game series, as White Oak (14-12-1) faces Mineola (14-11-2).
White Oak or Mineola will meet either Redwater (9-15-1) or Jefferson (11-12) in the second round next week.
White Oak is the home team for game one, Mineola for game two, which will be Friday, back at Mineola at 6 p.m. Game three, if they need it to decide the series, will be Saturday, but at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $7 each for adults, and $5 each for students. Purchase them here: Hudl – Tickets.
District 19-2A
Overton
There weren’t many teams hotter for the bulk of their schedule than Overton’s Lady Mustangs, and even though they finished the season with a pair of losses to Beckville, they still begin the 2A-Division II playoffs with 12 wins, having went 16-10-1 overall in the regular season.
Overton also is in a best-of-three-game series against Cross Roads (24-9), the series to be played at Athens High School. Game 1 is tonight, a 6 p.m. start. Game 2 will be Friday, also at 6. And if they need a game 3, it’ll be Saturday at 2.
The winner of Overton-Cross Roads will move on to round two, and face either Como-Pickton (18-7) or Maud (19-6).