What to watch for as area high school softball playoffs head into the second round
The UIL softball playoffs are a week in and we already have some upsets.
Who will carry the momentum into the area round?
Check out some of the notable facts heading into the second round:
KELLER GETS A SERIES
The Indians, who won 6A state titles in 2016 and 2017, have had a tough draw in the postseason the past year. They faced Coppell in a one-game playoff and won 5-2 on Friday.
Including the state semifinal game and title game in 2017, Keller had a one-game series in its past eight playoff rounds.
That changes in this week’s area round.
Keller (27-3-1), which is ranked No. 5 among all teams in the state per Max Preps, faces South Grand Prairie (21-7-1) at Irving MacArthur. Game 1 is 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The last time the Indians played a three-game series was during the 2017 6A Region I final against Plano West.
DISTRICT SWEEPS
Three districts in Class 6A went 4-0 in the bi-district round; 3, 5 and 7.
Abilene, LD Bell, Euless Trinity and Richland went 8-1 against District 4-6A.
Keller, Eaton, Guyer and Carroll went 6-1 against District 6-6A.
Lake Ridge, Mansfield, SGP and Waxahachie went 5-1 against District 8-6A.
CINDERELLA STORY
Euless Trinity (24-9) won six games in 3-6A and finished third. The Trojans snapped a 53-game district losing streak earlier this season. They also beat Paschal 11-0, 15-3 to advance to the area round for the first time since 2008.
It’s unknown if they’ve made it past area before, but first they’ll face El Paso Montwood (29-7-1) in a one-game playoff at 6 p.m. on Friday at Big Spring High School.
The two teams have one common opponent this year, EP Eastwood. Trinity won 3-1 while Montwood tied 4-4.
4 SEED WHO?
Richland, Carroll and Waxahachie all took down district champions in the first round, and all went three games.
Carroll had to go to Flower Mound for a doubleheader and after dropping Game 2, 12-3, the Dragons came back to win Game 3, 7-6 on Piper Harness’ go-ahead home run in the sixth.
Richland and Waxahachie rallied after losing Game 1. Richland knocked off Martin while Waxahachie won a doubleheader on Saturday against Duncanville.
BEST MATCH-UPS
Lake Ridge vs. Guyer
Carroll vs. Mansfield
Legacy vs. Little Elm
Rockwall vs. Plano
McKinney North vs. Highland Park
Joshua vs. Mount Pleasant
This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 8:00 AM.
