Nationally-ranked The Woodlands (8), Atascocita (6) to tango

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Something has got to give when two of the top 10 high school softball teams in the nation get together this week in a best-of-three Region II-5A quarterfinals playoff series.

The Greater Houston Area truly is the hotbed of softball in the United States. Five of the top nine teams in the country reside here. The latest USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll reveals: No. 5 Barbers Hill; No. 6 Atascocita; No. 7 Cy-Fair; No. 8 The Woodlands; No. 9 Cinco Ranch.

The Woodlands High School softball team, 32-2 for the season and ranked No. 5 in the state, takes on Atascocita (29-1), ranked No. 4 in the state, in a rematch of last year’s region quarterfinals playoff.

The Lady Highlanders won last year in three games, all decided by one run, and look to continue that edge when it faces the Lady Eagles beginning with a 7 p.m. Thursday game at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

Because of SHSU graduation, the series is tentatively set to move to Porter High School for a 7 p.m. Friday game. A third game, if necessary, is also tentatively scheduled for Porter High School with a 1 p.m. start.

The Woodlands enters the playoff series on a 23-game win streak. The Lady Highlanders haven’t lost a game since an 8-0 setback at the hands of Bellaire in The Woodlands Tournament on Feb. 22.

Atascocita enters Thursday’s series opener on an 11-game win streak, including playoffs wins over College Park (7-1, 11-1) and Round Rock (7-1).

Lady Highlanders pitcher Abby Langkamp improved to 19-0 for the season by going the distance on Friday in an 11-6 win over Austin Bowie to open that area round playoff series. She struck out seven and has fanned 149 batters for the season over 110 innings pitched.

Amy Cimera led the way at the plate with three hits and both Emily Langkamp and Brittany Mann drove in a pair of runs.

Caitlin Bartsch improved to 11-1 on the season with an outstanding relief appearance in a 5-3 win on Saturday and a sweep over Bowie. Bartsch worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning by spearing a line drive then doubling off a Bowie runner at first base to end the game and the series.

Bartsch struck out four in four innings of work while Kelcy Leach delivered two hits and drove in three runs. Sidney Salmans also drove in two runs while Aubrey Leach, who is hitting near the .600-level, and Emily Langkamp contributed with two hits each.

Cimera, Salmans, Mann and Kaitlyn Stavinoha also enter this week’s series batting at or above the .400-level.