The Opp Lady Bobcats won their first game of the day, and was leading the second game, but rain came in and cut their second game short.

Opp and Houston Academy will pick up play at 8 a.m. Friday.

OPP 5, EXCEL 3

Opp rallied in the final inning to knock off Excel 5-3 on Thursday in the opening round of the South Regional tournament.

Graceanne Spears got the start in the pitcher’s circle for the Lady Bobcats.

Spears was on her game from the start as she struck out the side in order in the bottom of the first inning.

In the top of the second inning, Vanessa Stoudemire picked up a hit when she drove a two-out double down the right field line.

Amaya Womack kept the inning going with a walk, but Opp wasn’t able to move the runners around to score.

Spears got the first batter of the bottom of the second inning to ground back up the middle for the first out.

Spears struck out the next batter before giving up a pair of two-out singles.

The two-out singles didn’t come back to hurt the Lady Bobcats as Spears struck out the next batter to end the frame.

In the top of the third inning, McKinley Hill slapped a bunt to third base for a single to start the inning and then she quickly stole second.

Cassadi Adams moved her up to third with a sacrifice bunt.

The Lady Bobcats took the lead when Reese Cauley drove in Hill with a sacrifice fly.

Spears continued her strong game by striking up the first two batters in the bottom of the third inning,

The next batter drew a walk to keep the inning going. The runner tried to steal second, but the Opp catcher threw out the runner to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth inning, Stoudemire singled with two outs and then moved to second on a single from Womack. Excel got out the inning with a strikeout.

Opp continued to play strong as Spears got a pop fly to start the bottom of the fourth inning.

Spears struck out the next two batters to end the frame.

Hill got the offense started in the top of the fifth inning with a single and then moved to third on sacrifice bunt from Adams.

The Lady Bobcats went up 2-0 when Cauley drove in Hill with a ground out.

Spears remained efficient in the pitcher’s circle as she struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Excel got a leadoff runner after the batter was hit by a pitch.

Spears struck out the next batter, but then a single and an intentional walk loaded up the bases.

Excel got on the board with a hit and then tied the game off of an error.

Excel then went up 3-2 with off of a fielder’s choice before Spears struck out the next batter to end the frame.

In the top of the seventh inning, Hill drew a one-out walk to get things going for Opp.

Hill stole second and then tied the game when she scored on a single from Cauley.

Opp seventh grader Braya Hodges launched a two-run home with two outs to put the Lady Bobcats up 5-3.

Spears got a line out to start the bottom of the seventh, then a pop out for out two and she finished off the win with a strikeout.

“They never allowed that game to get bigger than what it was,” Opp head coach David McVay said of his team. “When you are as inexperienced as we are with a lot of young girls, that is a big thing. We talked to them before we left about pressure. We aren’t going to play with any pressure on us and you couldn’t tell we were down by a run in the last inning. Great pitching by both teams and we just had a timely hit or two there at the end when we needed.”

TOP OF FOURTH

OPP 4, HOUSTON ACADEMY 3

Hodge got the start in the pitcher’s circle and struck out the side in order in the bottom of the first inning.

In the bottom of the second inning, Hodge struck out three more batters and worked around a walk.

In the top of the third inning, Adams put the Lady Bobcats on top 1-0 with an RBI triple.

Cauley followed with a run-scoring single to put the Lady Bobcats up 2-0.

The Lady Bobcats got in a little trouble in the bottom of the third inning.

Houston Academy used a couple of Opp errors to take a 3-2 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, Emily Mitchell started the frame with a single.

Hill drew a walk and then the runners moved up to second and third.

Cauley then put the Lady Bobcats back on top when she ripped a double that plated Mitchell and Hill.

Rain halted the contest there and it was to be picked up at 8 a.m. Friday.