Katy Taylor ace Sarah Blair is the first to admit she’s not an overpowering pitcher.

For as impressive as her Friday night was in an area-round sweep of Lamar at Seven Lakes, perhaps never was Blair’s command more evident than in the seventh inning of the second game.

Holding a 1-0 lead with runners on first and second and none out, Blair pulled out a wicked array of fastballs and changeups to strike out two of the final three batters she faced to secure the victory and advancement to the regional quarterfinals.

Blair was an error away from a perfect game in the opener but got a no-hitter as Taylor (24-9) won 2-0.

“Their lineup has seen me a bunch of times,” said Blair, a Kansas signee who has been on summer teams with Lamar ace Kelsey Goodwin. “I knew I had to mix up speeds and move it in and out. I knew my defense was behind me and they would make the plays.”

And now Taylor must wait to find out its regional quarterfinal opponent. MacArthur and Cinco Ranch split their two games Friday night; they will play the deciding game Saturday morning.

Sites and times for the next round will be determined Monday morning.

In the first game, two of Lamar’s three errors led directly to both Taylor runs.

The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Brooke Baker was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a suicide squeeze. She scored easily when the Redskins didn’t cleanly field Blair’s bunt single less than 10 feet from home plate.

Taylor picked up an insurance run in the sixth. Ashley Isbell led off with a walk, stole second and third and scored when Lamar catcher Katie Murphy overthrew third trying to hold Isbell on.

The only suspense from there was whether Blair would remain perfect. She did through 20 batters, but the 21st, Brittany Lilly, reached first when her ground ball was handled cleanly by the shortstop but dropped at first base.

“I really didn’t think about (a perfect game),” Blair said. “It was three-up and three-down every inning. I was just trying to get that.”

Lilly was stranded when Gessenia De La Cruz popped out to end the game.

Blair struck out eight in the first game and six in the second.

“I really don’t throw my fastballs that much,” she said. “I mix up speeds, move the ball in and out and up and down.”

There was no such drama in the second game. Lamar’s Holliday Hinckley blooped Blair’s third pitch down the left-field line for a single, but was stranded – as was the case after Lamar’s other five hits. Three of those came in the third, to no avail.

The next half-inning, Taylor made Lamar pay. Taylor squeaked out its only run in the third. Samantha Alegria led off with a single, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a passed ball.

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