EASTLAND -- Hawley ISD Superintendent Bobby Matthews has an appointment with a barber's razor.

Shortstop Ally Cobb made sure of it.

Thanks to her bases-loaded RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday, Cobb's Lady Bearcats ended seventh-ranked Early's season with a 3-2 win, taking their best-of-three Region I-2A softball quarterfinal series in two games. Hawley won the opener 3-1 on Friday.

In Hawley's previous two series wins this postseason, the Lady Bearcats won Game 1 only to drop the second game and be forced into a decisive Game 3.

"We've been struggling to win in two, so they've been doing all sorts of things to motivate us," Cobb said.

One of those motivational strategies: Matthews apparently said he'd shave his head if Hawley only needed two games to advance.

"He'd better be bald on Monday," Cobb said.

If not for a seventh-inning rally, Matthews might be wearing a full head of hair this summer.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the last half-inning, Hawley finally began to connect on Early pitcher Janna Allen, who had been nearly untouchable until that point.

After back-to-back singles, Hawley pitcher Pee Wee Burton was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Cobb grounded out but drove in second baseman Lashae Keith. Another groundout resulted in out No. 2, but also run No. 2.

Allen, though, induced a third straight groundout, ending the frame with the potential winning run on third.

Neither team got anything going in the eighth. But in the bottom of the ninth, Hawley's hitters again got to Allen.

Keith and catcher Kassi Barbee, batting second and third in the lineup respectively, opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Burton then connected for a single when the speedy Keith beat the throw to third.

Again, the bases were loaded with no outs, and Cobb was up to bat. And again she made contact, chipping the ball straight down the chalk line to first. Keith crossed home, advancing Hawley to next week's regional semifinals.

There, Hawley will face either Stinnet or Post at a time and site to be determined.

"I'd already walked down there and told her I was hitting her in," Cobb said. "I wanted to try to hit it down the right side to make it a little easier and I wanted to get a good hit. I didn't get that hit, but I got the run and it feels great."

On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum were the Early Lady Horns.

A consistently improving club since the arrival of coach Bryan Waller, Early earned its first postseason win since 2003 with an 8-3 decision over Junction in a one-game area-round matchup last week. That win was the eighth over a nine-game stretch leading into this weekend's series.

"Hawley made their adjustments," Waller said. "They got the hits from their best players when they needed them."

Early won the District 6-2A title this season after second and third-place finishes the previous two years under Waller.

"We're happy with the district championship, but that's not our goal," Waller said. "We want to win state, like everyone else."

Early recorded nine hits off Burton in the loss. Shortstop Tylene Middleton had two, including a leadoff triple in the top of the fourth that led to the Lady Horns' first run. Bailey Harris scored Early's other run in the top of the seventh, aided by a passed ball and throwing error.

Early catcher Angela Sanderson had a pair of singles and Allen gave up seven Hawley hits, striking out six.

Hawley was paced by the two late singles from both Keith and Barbee while Burton had five strikeouts in the circle.