The Frisco High School softball team defeated Lufkin High School in the UIL Class 5A Region II Finals this weekend and is going to the state tournament for the first time since they won a state championship in 2002. After losing Game 1 of the best 2-out-of-3 series on Thursday night, the Lady Raccoons rebounded to beat Lufkin twice on Saturday and take the series.
Frisco High (31-2) fought hard for six innings in Game 1 on Thursday night at Prosper High School, battling back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. But in the top of the seventh, Jasmine Ibarra’s infield hit scored Reagan Jordan, giving the Lady Panthers a 3-2 lead. The Lady Raccoons went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
"The game got away from us tonight. It just didn't fall our way," Frisco head softball coach Tiffany Sullivan said. "I give Lufkin all the credit for hustling and making plays. They just made one more play than we did."
With their season on the line, the Lady Raccoons traveled to Jasper High School on Saturday to try and take two games from Lufkin and advance to the state tournament.
Pitcher Maddie MacGrandle rose to the occasion, throwing 216 pitches while pitching two compete games on Saturday. In Game 2, Frisco High again trailed 2-0 before scoring two runs to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bailey Briceno and a two-out RBI double by Kacie Simmons. In the top of the seventh, Stephanie Clark scored Emma Ortiz on a groundout to give the Lady Raccoons a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Lufkin loaded the bases before MacGrandle got a groundout on a full count to end the game.
Frisco High’s 3-2 win in Game 2 set up a winner-take-all Game 3. In this game, the Lady Raccoons got off to a fast start, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning on a two-out single by Briceno. Frisco High added to their lead in the top of the fifth, scoring runs on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Trosclair and a two-out RBI double by Briceno, making the score 4-0. Lufkin answered in the bottom of the fifth with two runs of their own on a two-run double by Jordan. The Lady Panthers then cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on an error. In the bottom of the seventh, Lufkin got a two-out single from Jordan, but MacGrandle induced a game-ending groundout to send the Lady Raccoons to the state tournament.
The team will take on North Richland Hills Birdville in the State Semifinals at noon on Friday, June 3 on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin. The winner will advance to play Gregory-Portland or Angleton at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 4.Click here for ticket information.
Congratulations to the Lady Raccoons for their continued success and best of luck at the state tournament!