The Cy-Fair softball team has discovered a few ways to advance in the 5A-Region III postseason.

First, the Bobcats pulled off a prominent first-round upset by outslugging Katy 7-6.

Saturday, they made the most of six hits and a surprising Memorial error to upend the host Mustangs 3-2.

With two outs in the fifth inning, Memorial catcher Suzanne Beltran tried to pick off Cy-Fair’s Bethany Armstrong at third base. But the throw got through everyone and Armstrong scored easily for a 2-1 lead.

Melissa Botello followed with a double over right-fielder Blanche Schwabenland’s head to provide what turned out to be the game-winning run.

“Somebody had to get something,” Cy-Fair (19-14) coach D.K. Burrow said. “I was hoping it (a mistake) wasn't going to be us. But (Beltran) threw the ball, she made a bad throw and we scored. Then we got the hit and it was a big, clutch hit for us.”

Schwabenland appeared to lose Botello’s liner in the sun.

“I wasn’t really looking for anything in particular. I was just looking to get a single,” said Botello, the Bobcats’ senior second baseman. “We just tried to keep the momentum going and do what we can to win and move on.”

Both the Bobcats’ postseason victories have come in one-game playoffs.

Cy-Fair, which finished third in District 17-5A, averaged about four runs a game during the regular season. But Burrow said there was no set pattern; sometimes the Bobcats scored 10 runs and other times they took 1-0 victories.

It’s a simple case, she said, of jelling at the right time.

“Pretty much so,” Burrow said. “We were probably the underdog coming in and people may not have thought we were that good, but we’ve put it together at the right time. …

“We’re stronger hitting now. We struggled in our district games and we’re finally putting it together in the playoffs. I’m just hoping we keep it up in the playoffs where it belongs.”

The Bobcats will play Bellaire in the regional quarterfinals next weekend. Bellaire lost its first game Friday to Cypress Woods but swept both Saturday games at Stratford.

Memorial (17-11) took a 1-0 lead in the third. Leslie LeJune doubled to straightaway center, then scored on a Beltran single.

Cy-Fair came back to tie it in the fourth. Pitcher Mollie Grubbs walked, advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Cassandra Barefield’s double to the left-field corner.

The Mustangs got within 3-2 in the sixth. Megan Slattery reached second on an error, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Beltran’s second RBI single.

Grubbs struck out four without a walk in five innings.

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