Playoffs: The Woodlands softball bows to Kingwood

TOMBALL, Texas – For the third consecutive week, The Woodlands High School softball team has dropped the first game of a best-of-three series. The No. 2 state-ranked Lady Highlanders fell 14-3 to No. 3 Kingwood in the opening game of a Region II-5A finals series.

As in the previous two series, the Lady Highlanders (30-8) look to win twice on Saturday. Game 2 of the series in set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Tomball High School. A third game, if necessary, would follow Game 2.

Meanwhile, following a long weather delay, The Woodlands High School baseball team pounded Plano West 8-1 Friday in the first game of a best-of-three Region II-5A semifinals playoff series at Georgetown East View High School.

The top-ranked Highlanders (32-3) go for the sweep at noon Saturday. A third game, if necessary, would follow Game 2.

The Woodlands broke a 1-1 tie with a four-run third inning and never looked back. After a Blaine Gillespie single scored Charlie Warren (2-for-3, 2 runs scored) with the first run of the game in the top of the first inning, Chris Andritsos gave the Highlanders the lead for good with a two-run double that ignited the third-inning fireworks.

Andritsos scored when the Wolves (23-12-1) booted a Kolbi Brown grounder and Brown crossed the plate on a double by Josh Pruitt (2-for-4).

Ryan Burnett fired a complete-game two-hitter, striking out eight.

Hillin Warren and Josh Shaw also added to the Highlanders’ eight-hit attack with one apiece.

Kingwood (33-3) hit four homers on Friday to turn away the Lady Highlanders, who are making their third consecutive region finals appearance. Three costly errors opened the floodgates for Kingwood’s seven-run third inning that all but sewed up the series opener. The game was tied 1-1 prior to the outburst.

The Lady Mustangs held only a 13-11 edge in hits, but six of those went for extra bases while all but one of the Lady Highlanders’ safeties were singles.

Abby Langkamp collected three hits for The Woodlands and drove in two runs. Taylor Vick, Aubrey Leach and Alyssa Jorgensen added two hits apiece while Brittany Mann and Kaitlyn Stavinoha each singled.