Lady Bison Win Bi-District

Rachel Morris concentrates on the pitch. The Lady Bison softball team weathered the storm figuratively and literally in the bi-district playoff game last Friday night. With showers throughout the area, Buffalo and Hemphill squared off at Central High School in Pollock, TX. The Lady Bison led 3-0 going into the fifth inning, but Hemphill tied the game. Buffalo held on, and mounted a rally themselves in the sixth to pull out an 8-3 bi-district victory. The win also gave the Lady Bison the area championship since there is a bye in the playoff bracket. Buffalo will face the winner of Warren and Woodville next week in the regional quarterfinal round of the state playoffs.

Buffalo meant business from the start. Hemphill led off with a fly to left field, but senior Courtney Cunningham snagged the effort. Junior pitcher Rachel Morris struck out the next two batters.

Jennifer Pate led off with a single for the Lady Bison. Jordyn Briscoe bunted to advance the runner, and managed to get safely to first. Nikki Dorman also lay down a bunt to load the bases. Morris hit an RBI single for the first score of the game. Hemphill completed a double play at home and first for two outs. Lindsey McGill popped up to the second baseman to end the inning with two Lady Bison on base.

Haley Ellison made the ultimate pre-prom sacrifice -- she broke a nail in the game! At the top of the second, McGill hosed a hit to centerfield for the first out. The next Hemphill batter connected for a single. Morris struck out the following batter, and Cunningham nabbed the next out to strand the runner.

Meredith Shaw picked up the first out for the Lady Bison at the top of the second inning. Cunningham followed with a single and a stolen base. Haley Ellison reached on a dropped third strike. Pate's sacrifice scored Cunningham. The Lady Bison left one on when they returned to the field.

Lindsey McGill dives back to third base after her triple put BHS back on top. McGill went on to score on a single by Heather Egan. Morris struck out the first batter of the third inning. Briscoe fielded and fired to Shaw for the second out before Morris caught the last batter looking.

With one out, Morris singled in the bottom of the third. Heather Sigert gave BHS a 3-0 lead when she scored courtesy runner Juana Vasquez. Sigert was called out trying to squeeze out a triple. McGill reached on an error before Shaw's pop up to the short stop ended the inning.

Hemphill's first batter in the fourth struck out, and the second batter popped up to Briscoe. Sigert fielded the ball to Shaw at first for the final out in the top of the fourth. The Lady Bison made some noise in the fourth inning, but Hemphill's defense was solid.

Jennifer Pate singled to start things off right for the Lady Bison. In the fifth inning, Briscoe and Shaw connected for the first out, and Morris struck out the next batter. A single followed by a walk gave Hemphill two runners on base. The ninth batter connected for a solid hit to right field. The ball curved behind the defense, and Hemphill tied the game with the inthe park homerun. Sigert and Shaw connected for the final out.

Buffalo could not hit out of the infield in the bottom of the fifth. Only three batters faced the pitcher before the Lady Bison returned to the outfield.

Hemphill led off in the sixth with a bunt, but Dorman found Sigert at first for the out. A single gave Hemphill a runner, but on a fielder's choice, Briscoe and Dorman connected for the out at third. A defensive error gave Hemphill another chance, but Morris struck out the next batter to retire the side. BHS mounted a rally of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Sigert reached on an error then scored on McGill's triple. Shaw battled through nine pitches before the second baseman snagged a solid lick. Cunningham walked, and Heather Egan's single scored McGill. Pate's single gave the Lady Bison a 6-3 advantage. With two outs, Dorman nailed a single and picked up two rbi's for an 8-3 Buffalo lead.

The Bi-District Champions, pictured with Coaches Warren Ringland (L) and Amber Riddle (R) In their last at-bat, Hemphill hit a dribbler down the first baseline which Shaw fielded for the out. A single gave a runner on, but Morris notched her eighth KO of the day for the second out. The final hit went right to Morris who connected with Shaw for the last out and the win.

The regional quarter-final contest will pit BHS against the winner of Warren /Woodville the week of May 10th, time and place to be determined.