AUSTIN – Grandview’s historic title run came up short in extra innings as the Zebras lost to Coahoma 3-2 in eight innings during the Class 3A state championship on Thursday at UT’s McCombs Field. The Zebras are state runner-up for the first time in program history and end 32-4.
Coahoma defends its title and goes back-to-back while posting a perfect 32-0 record.
Grandview has had great softball teams in the past. Teams like 2018, which set the foundation and clinched the program’s first trip to state – or 2022 which also played in Austin. But this group will go down as the best – finishing with the deepest playoff run all-time.
Plus, coach Leigh Ebner only loses one senior – starting first baseman Bella Jeter.
The Zebras will be back.
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Thursday’s game featured a classic pitching duel between arguably the top two pitchers in 3A – Grandview’s Madi Doty (26-3) and Coahoma’s Hannah Wells (20-0). Wells is a Texas commit while Doty is a top 2026 and has played for USA national teams.
Wells allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out three.
Doty, who struck out 13 vs Hallettsville in Wednesday’s semifinals, allowed one earned on six hits, walked two and struck out five. She finishes with 125 strikeouts in 13 playoff games.
After one out in the top of the eighth, Coahoma put one on with a single from Mia Clemmer, who hit the 11th inning walk off on Wednesday to beat Whitesboro. Then Rodgers took a pitch from Doty and sliced it near the left field line. Kat Gordy nearly made the grab as Bose came across.
Wells got the first two Zebras out in the eighth before Doty reached on an infield single.
Jeter, who will continue at Weatherford College, followed with a single to center. Then Wells got a short fly out near the circle to give Coahoma its third state title overall.
Grandview had the hot start – from Doty – as the sophomore took the first pitch and drilled it over the left field wall for a 2-0 lead in the first inning. SJ Mann reached just before with an infield single. But the Zebras got in trouble in the second with back-to-back errors in the infield. A walk loaded the bases for Coahoma and Bree Lewis tied it with a two-run single to right center.
Both teams led off the next frames with a single, but couldn’t plate a run. Grandview’s Claire Baker caught a soft liner at second and doubled off a runner at first and UNT commit Jaley James made a tough catch at short. The Bulldogs turned a 6-3 double play to send the game into the fourth.
Kaedyn Lee hit a two-out triple for the Bulldogs, but a grounder ended the threat.
Coahoma turned its third double play of the game to keep it tied at 2 after four.
The Zebras put two on in the fifth after Jamie Snider and James were hit by Wells on back-to-back at-bats. But both runners were stranded as Mann hit a short chopper in front of the plate and was called out after the ball hit her.
The Bulldogs put two on in the sixth, but Doty ended the frame with two force outs at third.
Doty singled in the Grandview sixth and courtesy runner Codi Collins reached second on a wild pitch, but Wells got a grounder to third that ended the inning. Lewis caught a tough liner at first to send the game into extras.
