Knockout!

File photo by Kathy Bowden MONEY IN THE BANK - Kilgore High School senior Mackenzie Sharp (left) hurls a pitch to the plate. Sharp helped the Lady Bulldogs' softball team win their fourth playoff game in three years Friday night in Lufkin, an eight-inning thriller over Montgomery, 4-3. For Sharp, it was career win No. 50. More importantly, it was the first win of what KHS (17-5) hopes will be a long run in the Class 4A playoffs. The Lady 'Dogs now meet Little Cypress Mauriceville in the area round. That best-ofthree series will be played in Lufkin beginning Friday. LCM had a first-round bye. For their first two hours in Lufkin on Friday night, players and coaches for Kilgore High School's softball team watched as district rival Whitehouse opened the playoffs against Klein Oak.

Things didn't work out for Whitehouse. But for Kilgore? It couldn't have worked out better.

Facing Montgomery in the bi-district (or first round) of the University Interscholastic League's Class 4A playoffs - and a possible rain-postponement - Kilgore left Lufkin Hudson High School with a 4-3, eight-inning win, just as the rain started to pour.

"That was a big, big win," Kilgore coach Kasey Polk said. "They are a very good team."

The Lady Bulldogs (17-5 overall) advance to the area round of the playoffs, where they will face Little Cypress-Mauriceville in a best-ofthree game series that will begin Friday night. This series will be played in Lufkin, but at Lufkin High School, not Lufkin Hudson.

Game 1 will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. Game 2 will be at 1 p.m. Saturday. A third game, if necessary, would start at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Against Montgomery, facing a dominating pitcher (Elana Crabtree), Kilgore had a dominating pitcher of their own - senior Mackenzie Sharp. Sharp gave up eight hits, including a home run, early in the contest, but got the last laugh, finishing with 14 strikeouts and the 50th win of her KHS softball career.

And she had a little part in the win at the plate, too.Montgomery's Lady Bears plated a run in the third and another in the sixth, then watched as Kilgore executed for three runs for a lead.

With one out, senior center fielder Sydnay Dick singled, and then shortstop Millicent Dickey laid down a bunt. Dick safely reached second, and, because of an error, Dickey reached first.

Crabtree managed to get Kilgore's Shelby Savony to fly out, but then Sharp singled, scoring Dick, and Toni Griffin, another KHS senior, hit a short fly ball to left field that scored both Dickey and Sharp for the 3-2 lead.

Montgomery scored again in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game, which eventually went to extra innings.

Kilgore scored in the top of the eighth. With one out, Dickey got a base hit and then scored on a double by Savony to center field.

The Lady Bulldogs had to survive a scare in the bottom of the eighth. Montgomery managed to load the bases with no outs. But a Montgomery player flew out to right field, and then another hit the ball back to Sharp on the mound. Sharp threw the ball to Savony at home plate, then Savony threw to Whitney Brown at first base for a double play that ended the contest, just as the rain started.

The victory was Kilgore's third playoff win in as many seasons. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Henderson in 2004 for their first postseason win, and then had a bye (as district champions) last season, getting a win in the area round before losing in the quarterfinals.