MADISONVILLE — The Lufkin Lady Panthers scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 12-8 win over North Forney in Game 1 of their Class 5A Region II semifinal series.

Game 2 of the series is at 7:30 Friday in Van.

Lufkin gave up five runs in the top of the first inning and trailed 8-0 in the fourth inning when pitcher Alex Flores was pulled from the game with one out.

Freshman Smiley Radke came in and kept North Forney at bay until the Lufkin bats could catch up. Radke allowed no runs on no hits with five strikeouts in the final 3 2/3 innings.

Down 8-0, Lufkin scored three runs in the fourth inning with an RBI double by Reagan Jordan and a two-run double by Yami Valdez.

In the sixth inning, Lufkin started chipping away at the deficit. Leah Akridge had an RBI double to cut the score to 8-4. Jordan scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-5. A two-run double by Jasmine Ibarra trimmed the deficit to a run, 8-7. Ibarra then scored on a long RBI single by Sara Mayes to knot things at 8-8. Lufkin added four more runs in the frame, including a two-run single by Julie Armes, to complete the comeback.

Jordan, Akridge and Valdez all had three hits for Lufkin (35-3).

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