DUNCANVILLE — Forney outlasted Denton Guyer 6-3 in an eight-inning state semifinal decider Saturday, bringing a fitting end to the pair’s tightly-contested series.
The teams split their first two games Tuesday and Wednesday with Guyer taking the opener 5-1 and Forney winning the second contest 3-2. They traded blows throughout Game 3 of their 6A Division II playoff matchup at Duncanville High, exchanging multiple one-run leads before ending up tied at 3-3 through seven innings.
The Lady Jackrabbits scored three runs with two outs in the top of the eighth to take the game and series.
Cailey Slade singled to shallow left field to score Emmie Santos from third base and the ball got past the charging left fielder, allowing Maddy Dickey to cross from second and Slade to come all the way around as well.
Santos then worked around issuing a one-out walk in the bottom half to finish off the victory.
“I’m just proud of my kids,” a visibly emotional Guyer coach Keith Medford said. “They fought like they did all year, just fought their tails off. Just a really good game between two really good teams. This one could’ve gone either way, just like the last two.
“Hats off to Forney. They played great and deserve to make the trip.”
Forney (34-2-1) advances to face Humble Kingwood (33-4-1) in the 6A DII state championship game at 1 p.m., Saturday May 31 at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.
Guyer’s season ends with its third consecutive state semifinal appearance. The Lady Wildcats advanced to the 6A state title game in 2023, where they fell 4-2 to Pearland, and dropped a 13-inning semifinal game 5-3 to eventual 6A state champion Weslaco last year.
After losing a bevy of seniors who were key to those squads, Guyer was not expected by many to replicate that success this season.
A young Lady Wildcats squad — one that featured seven new starters, including four sophomores and a freshman — found their way back to the penultimate round of the playoffs.
“Not many people picked us to be here,” Medford said. “Our group, which was young, didn’t blink. They kept the tradition going. There were 10 alumni up here cheering us on. That was the message postgame [to the seniors]. ‘Yeah, you’re graduating, but you’re always a Wildcat.’”
Guyer started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as senior New Mexico signee Briana Williams reached on an error, stole second on a wild pitch and crossed on a Chloe O’Brien RBI single.
Forney answered in the top of the second when Carlee Rabal blooped a single to left field, giving Domiana English just enough time to score from second.
The Lady Jackrabbits went up 2-1 in the top of the third on a Ryann Harris RBI single high down the right field line that scored Eva Daniels from third. Guyer responded in the bottom of the fourth with an Annaleeia Martinez RBI single to shallow right-center field that scored Madison Joyner from second.
Forney pulled ahead 3-2 in the top of the sixth as a Daniels RBI double scored Julianna Tamburine.
The Lady Wildcats tied it back up once again in the bottom half when Addison Joyner stole third base and took home on the same play as the catcher’s throw to third missed the mark into left field.
“It’s never easy to lose when you’re in the state semi, but I’m so proud of them,” Medford said. “I don’t even have the right words to say how much I appreciate them. They just fought all year, and today was no different.”
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