RED OAK – Carly Taylor's two-out, two-run double in the fifth inning broke a tie and lifted Mesquite Poteet to a 5-4 victory over Forney in Game 3 of their best-of-3 Class 4A Region II final series Saturday.
Poteet (35-9-1) won the series, two games to one, and reached the state tournament in Austin for the second time. Poteet also went in 2003.
Taylor's double gave Poteet a 5-3 lead. It then had to fend off Forney scoring chances in the sixth and seventh innings.
Forney's Caitlin Everett opened the sixth with a single. After a groundout, Poteet intentionally walked Hillary Steed. But Poteet pitcher Bradie Baker got a popout and strikeout to end the threat.
Forney's Ashley McCarroll and Rylie Chappell opened the bottom of the seventh with consecutive singles. They moved into scoring position with no outs on a passed ball.
McCarroll tried to score on another passed ball but was called out at the plate on a close play. After a flyout, Forney's M'Lynn Tillery singled home a run to make it 5-4. Baker then got a groundout to end the game.
