Bullard's Hadi Fults delivers a pitch against Melissa Wednesday in Forney.

FORNEY — Melissa opened a Class 4A Region II final series with a 5-4 win over Bullard in Game 1 on Wednesday night at the Rabbit Hole.

Bullard trailed 5-3 entering the seventh inning and got a leadoff single from Kenzie King. After Kamyn Honzell battled for a second consecutive at-bat before Alex Starr delivered the strikeout, Berlyn Grossman singled, and Kaylee Paul reached on an error to load the bases with one out.

Callie Bailey blooped a ball to center field that dropped in front of Autumn Bell, which allowed courtesy runner Rylie Jo Garner to score to cut the lead to 5-4. However, Grossman was thrown out at third for the second out.

After Paul and Bailey moved up to third and second base, respectively, Addison Hooker fouled off multiple pitches before Starr came through with her 12th strikeout of the night to end the game.

“I think we’ve got to compete a little better in the batter’s box consistently,” Bullard head softball coach Julie Murry said. “I felt like we had a little letdown there. I feel like our kids will hopefully regroup. It’ll tell us a lot about ourselves.”

Game 2 of the series will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Forney.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had to go into it and win,” Murry said. “It is the first time we’ve lost the first game of the series. I think we have tough, resilient kids, and I hope they can show everyone that. I hope we can come out tomorrow and compete the way that I think we’re capable of. Hats off to (Melissa). I think they played a great game. They competed very well. They’re a great team.”

Bullard (38-3) lost a one-run game to Canton in Game 2 of the regional quarterfinals and came back the next day with a 10-0 win to capture the series. This time, the Lady Panthers will need two wins to keep their season alive.

“I think a series ensures we send the best team to Austin to represent our region,” Murry said.

Starr allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings.

Paul hit a one-out triple in the first and scored on a bunt single by Bailey in the top of the first inning. Bailey scored on a two-out single from Hadi Fults to give the Lady Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Melissa tied the game in the bottom of the first inning. Emily Johnson walked and scored on a double by Rachel Wells, who came in to score on a passed ball.

Bullard regained the lead in the top of the third inning with a sacrifice bunt by Hooker to score Grossman, who led off the inning with a double.

Melissa answered with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Caigan Crabtree had an RBI single. Paisley Needham’s sacrifice fly gave Melissa the lead, and the Lady Cardinals then got an RBI double from Natalee Smith.

The score remained at 5-3 until the seventh inning.

Fults pitched three innings for the Lady Panthers and allowed five runs on six hits with one strikeout and two walks. Anistyn Foster pitched the final three innings and allowed no runs on one hit with five strikeouts and two walks.

Wells and Smith led Melissa (29-5) with two hits each.

Paul and Grossman each had three hits for Bullard, and Fults had two hits.