Forsan rallies late in seventh to win 16-13 over Bangs in Game 1

ABILENE – Heading into the top of the seventh, it looked all but certain that Bangs would be walking away with the Game 1 win over Forsan in the Class 2A Region I Semifinals. The Lady Dragons led 13-10, but the Lady Buffaloes would rally for six runs in the frame to take a 16-13 lead.

That proved to be too much for Bangs to overcome as the Lady Buffaloes stunned the Lady Dragons in series opener and are now one game away from heading to the regional finals.

Forsan quickly jumped out to a 9-0 lead after the first two innings. The Lady Buffaloes opened up the game scoring eight runs in the top of the first. Emma Buske led things off for Forsan with a double fly ball. Two at bats later, Forsan's K'leigh Williams would bring in Buske for the score off of a hard ground ball single to right field.

Forsan's K'dynce Speck really sparked Forsan's offense blasting a three-run home run over centerfield.

Forsan would score three more runs in the top of the first to take a 8-0 lead. Forsan would put up another run in the top of the second to extend their lead 9-0. Bangs finally settled in the bottom of the second inning scoring three runs to cut Forsan's lead by six.

The Lady Buffaloes bats went cold over the next two innings while Bangs' offense began to rally. The Lady Dragons would score three more runs in the bottom of the third, and four more in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-9 lead. Forsan would tie it up in the top of the fifth on passed ball at home with Williams scoring the lone Forsan run.

The Lady Dragons pushed their lead in the bottom of the frame adding another three runs to retake the lead with a score 13-10. Both teams would go scoreless in the sixth setting up Forsan's last at bat.

Forsan got some help from Bangs as the Lady Dragons walked both Abigail Hugo and Scout Stockton to start the inning. Buske would single on a ground ball back to the pitcher but would get the forced out at third leaving runners on first and second with one out.

Forsan's Lybertee Rodriquez would bring in a run on the next at bat off of a hard ground ball single to center field. Williams would bring in another run off off of another single this time a fly ball to left field.

Forsan would score three more runs in the frame to retake the lead with the score now sitting at 16-13. Forsan would close out the game with three straight outs to secure the win.

Forsan's Maddie Roach earned the win for the Lady Buffaoes in the circle. The freshman pitcher pitched all seven innings giving up 13 runs off of 17 hits with three walks, and struck out six at the plate.

Bangs' Abby Wolf took the loss in the circle for the Lady Dragons. The righty pitched all seven innings giving up 16 runs off of 25 hits with three walks and had two strikeouts.

Errors proved costly for the Lady Dragons as they committed seven in the game compared to Forsan's three.

Speck led the Lady Buffaloes at the plate going 5-for-5 with two runs scored and 2 RBI. Ary'anna Mealing along with Buske both went 4-for-5 at the plate. Maeling finished the game with three runs scored and an RBI, while Buske finished the game with three runs scored and 2 RBI.

Rodriquez and Williams both finished the game going 3-for-5 at the plate. Rodriquez had one run scored with 2 RBI, while Williams finished with three runs scored and had 2 RBI. Hugo and Stockton both finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Forsan (27-8) was set to play Bangs in Game 2 on Friday in Abilene. If the Lady Buffaloes win they would play this upcoming week against the winner of Stamford and Colorado City. Should Forsan lose Game 3 would be played shortly after Game 2.

Be sure to check out next weeks edition of the Herald for coverage on Game 2.

FORSAN: 8 1 0 0 1 0 6 – 16 25 3

BANGS: 0 3 3 4 3 0 0 – 13 17 7

Pitchers: W – Maddie Roach (Forsan), L – Abby Wolf (Bangs), Doubles: Forsan – Ary'anna Mealing (2), Emma Buske (2), K'dynce Speck (2), Maddie Roach, & Scout Stockton. Home Runs: Forsan – K'dynce Speck; Stolen Bases: Forsan – Lybertee Rodriquez (3), K'leigh Williams (3), Ary'anna Mealing, & Emma Buske.