Softball playoffs: Hebron forces Game 3 with Timber Creek; Flower Mound wins thriller for sweep

Byron Nelson celebrates with their trophy a victory over Flower Mound Marcus, 15-3 in Game 2 of a 6A Division II Region I semifinal series, Friday, May 8, 2026 played at Flower Mound Marcus High School in Flower Mound. (Steve Nurenberg/The Dallas Morning News) COPPELL — Lilly Pirrello went 4 for 4 with a pair of home runs and drove in all five runs to lead Hebron to a 5-1 victory over Keller Timber Creek in Game 2 to even the Class 6A Division I Region I semifinal best-of-3 playoff series Friday night at Cowgirl Field. “We were not ready to see the season end,’’ said Pirrello, a junior shortstop and the Hawks’ leadoff batter.

In addition to accounting for all of her team’s RBIs she also had all four of its hits and a pair of stolen bases. Her home runs were her seventh and eighth of the season, and on each she made a point of going back to touch first base a second time. “My sophomore year I jumped over first base on my first home run so now I go back to make sure,” she said.

She had a pair of singles to go with the home runs. Game 3 is scheduled for noon Saturday in Coppell. The winner will advance to the Region I final against Flower Mound.

Hebron (27-12) kept alive its hopes of reaching the fourth playoff round for the first time since 2012 thanks to Pirrello’s slugging and a gritty pitching performance from Kate Buesing. The senior allowed no walks, struck out eight and retired the last eight Timber Creek batters in order. “It was us or them with everything on the line,’’ said Hebron coach Chelsea Bunjovac, “and we brought the fight to them.