The Canton Eaglettes entered the final Tuesday night of the regular season with a golden opportunity, tangling with district-leading Mabank in a key showdown that could ultimately determine playoff seeding.

Mabank would prevail in the contest by a narrow 3-2 margin, wrapping up a perfect run through district play while also keeping Canton as a two seed heading into this year’s Class 4A Playoffs.

Neither team could make much headway throughout the game’s opening innings as Canton starter Jaycee Bullard and Mabank counterpart Baylee Sales traded zeroes on the scoreboard.

Mabank would briefly seize control of what had been a scoreless game with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Down but not out, the Eaglettes would use an Amrie Clower single, a Mabank fielding error and a Jacey Pride bunt to bring home their first run of the night. Kara Pride would follow with a single to load the bases and Chelsea Chitty delivered a clutch sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2.

Mabank would battle back in the top of the seventh, plating a run to outduel the Eaglettes 3-2.

Jaycee Bullard got the starting nod for Canton, allowing four hits and an earned run over 5 1/3 innings of work. Grace Thompson worked the final 1 2/3 innings in relief, al-lowing two hits and an earned run.

Combined, the two Eaglette pitchers would strike out 10 while walking just two.

Kara Pride and Amrie Clower each went 1/3 overall, while Jacey Pride and Chelsea Chitty notched an RBI each.

Prior to the start of this year’s playoffs Canton met up with Sulphur Springs for a warm-up game April 22. The Eaglettes would show plenty of resiliency in the contest, rallying back from a pair of deficits to score a 11-9 win.

Jaycee Bullard got the start and win for Canton, allowing nine hits and three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. Grace Thompson came on to pitch the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs.

Kara Pride led the way offensively going 3/4 with a double and 3 RBI while Amrie Clower went 2/3 with 4 RBI and a run scored and Payton Brey went 2/5 with three runs scored.

Other Eaglette players hitting the stat sheet included Tori Robinson going 1/2 with an RBI and two runs scored, Josie Krawietz going 1/1 with a run scored, Laci Edwards going 1/3 with two runs scored, Lana Stapleton going 1/2, Jacey Pride going 1/2 and Grace Thompson going 1/4 with an RBI.

As the District 14-4A runners-up, Canton is slated to take on Sunnyvale in a best-ofthree bi-district round playoff series. Game one was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 27 in Sunnyvale and game two was scheduled for April 28 in Canton beginning at 6:30 p.m. Game three, if necessary, will take place in Royse City April 30 at a time to be announced.