The Decatur High School softball team was the area's hottest team the last three weeks. The group beat Sanger and Argyle to move from the bottom half of the district standings to third and into the state playoffs.

The impressive mid-April run came to a halt Thursday night in Weatherford where the Lady Eagles faced Clyde in the first round of the postseason.

They scored runs in bunches to make the playoffs but were unable to keep that trend alive in a 4-2 loss.

With the game knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning, Clyde made a two-out rally hold as the difference in the game. After DHS pitcher Megan Dittrich retired the first two batters she faced, a base hit and an error set the stage for a two-run single that made it 4-2.

It was a pitchers' duel the rest of the way. Both teams combined for a total of five base runners in the final five innings.

Decatur had the best chance at scoring in the second inning. The locals worked the bases loaded before the Bulldogs forced a ground out to escape the scoring threat.

The Lady Eagles did all their damage in their first at-bat. Lacey Oates, a four-year starter, smashed a lead-off triple to left-center field.

She later scored when J.J. Addington, another four-year starter, planted a triple in right field to make it 1-0.

DHS's Mercy Staley made sure her teammate was not stranded and she ripped a sacrifice to score Addington and make it a 2-0 ball game.

The Lady Eagles never made it home again.

Clyde answered in the bottom half of the first frame. A walk, two singles and the first of three errors led to two scores and a 2-2 contest.

Dittrich slammed the door shut on the Bulldogs after the second inning. She only allowed two base runners the rest of the night and they never threatened again.

The DHS offense, which made the difference in getting into the playoffs, could not manufacture another run. DHS had just three base runners in the last four innings.