Lady Gladiators force a game 3 against Blue Ridge

Image: Defining moment: Lady Gladiators show grit, tie series 1-1 — The Italy Lady Gladiators softball team overcame a game one loss to win game two, tying the regional semi-final series with Blue Ridge 1-1. A third and deciding game three will be Saturday, May 22 at 12:00 p.m. at Warren Middle School in Forney.

Defining moment: Lady Gladiators show grit, tie series 1-1 — The Italy Lady Gladiators softball team overcame a game one loss to win game two, tying the regional semi-final series with Blue Ridge 1-1. A third and deciding game three will be Saturday, May 22 at 12:00 p.m. at Warren Middle School in Forney. (Barry Byers)

Forney — The 1A Regional Semifinal Championship between the Italy Lady Gladiators (26-7) and the Blue Ridge Lady Tigers (26-9) is still up for grabs after the two teams split wins on Thursday.

In the best 2-out of-3 playoff series, Blue Ridge took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. Italy’s Cori Jeffords singled to score Megan Richards from third base in the top of the 6th to close the deficit 2-1.

Blue Ridge added 2 more runs, with 4 hits, in the top of the 7th building a 4-1 advantage. The Lady Gladiators were unable to rally during their last at bat allowing Blue Ridge to celebrate their game one victory, 4-1 over Italy.

In game 2, Italy’s Richards doubled in the top of the 1st and was knocked in after another Jeffords single to centerfield. Lady Gladiator pitcher Courtney Westbrook returned to the mound after going 7 innings in game one. Blue Ridge fired back with 3 hits in the bottom of the 1st to tie the score 1-1.

After loading the bases in the top of the 2nd inning, Italy forces Blue Ridge to make a pitching change. With 2-outs, Megan Richards doubles into the right field gap to score Meredith Brummett and Alma Suaste, reclaiming the lead for Italy 3-1.

In the top of the 3rd, Italy’s Drew Windham dropped one into the left field gap for a single. Bailey Bumpus hit but gets thrown at at first. Blue Ridge went for he double play at second base but an overthrow allowed Windham to run home and grow the Lady Gladiator lead 4-1.

In the top of the 5th, Brummett doubled to score both Alyssa Richards and Jeffords to increase the Lady Gladiators lead 6-1.

Megan Richards replaces Westbrook on the mound in the bottom of the 5th. Blue Ridge loaded the bases but a grounder hit to Italy’s Anna Viers at shortstop, who flipped the ball to Jeffords covering second, got Italy off the field.

In the top of the 6th inning, Italy loads the bases against Blue Ridge but takes a third strike swinging for the 3rd out keeping the score 6-1. Blue Ridge continued hitting in the bottom half of the inning to load the bases against Italy once again. After making the score 6-2, a single to left field scored two more runs to close in on Italy 6-4.

Italy finally put the game away in the top of the 7th. After Bumpus and Brummett both walked, Suaste doubled to left field scoring Bumpus, 7-4 Italy leads. Megan Richards singled to score Brummett from third, 8-4 Italy. Alyssa Richards knocked in Suaste to make the score 9-4.

With Blue Ridge unable to respond in the bottom of the 7th, game two ended with the Lady Gladiators tying the series 1-1 winning 9-4. Both teams will return to Warren Middle School in Forney to play the third and deciding game on Saturday, May 22 at 12:00 p.m.

Go Lady Gladiators!