Richland Survives 11-Inning Thriller Over Burleson Centennial in 5A Softball Playoff

A 12-inning classic on Wednesday set the stage for Saturday's game two showdown between Richland and Burleson Centennial, and the playoff softball series delivered another marathon.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Centennial's Lexie Arthur lined one over the center fielder's head, allowing Brooke Mayner to score from first and tie the game at 3. The back-and-forth continued into the ninth when Richland's Dani Jaimes went opposite field to the wall in right, plating Maty Quick to give the Royals a 4-3 advantage.

Centennial refused to fold. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Mac McKeon popped up to the infield, but the ball squirted out of the second baseman's glove. Arthur raced home to tie it at 4, forcing extra innings once again.

Richland finally broke through in the 11th, scoring five times to pull away. Mia Berain delivered the decisive blow with a bases-loaded triple that brought home three runs. The Royals held on for a 9-4 victory, their 32nd win of the season, and advanced to the 5A-Division 1 regional semifinals.