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The UIL state softball tournament officially started on Tuesday May 28 from McCombs Field at the University of Texas in Austin. The games run through Saturday – capped with the Class 6A, Class 5A and Class 4A championship matches.
Six schools from the DFW metroplex are down south: Denton Guyer (6A), Aledo (5A), Melissa (5A), Sanger (4A), Whitesboro (3A) and Grandview (3A). Here are the schedules (also found on the UIL website)
CLASS 6A
Weslaco 5, Denton Guyer 3 (13)
Waco Midway 9, Humble Kingwood 3
Final: Weslaco 11, Waco Midway 9
CLASS 5A
Melissa 4, Lake Belton 0
Harlingen South 1, Aledo 0
Final: Melissa 8, Harlingen South 0
CLASS 4A
CC Calallen 8, Sanger 1
Liberty 10, Canton 0
Final: Calallen 2, Liberty 1
CLASS 3A
Grandview 11, Hallettsville 2
Coahoma 10, Whitesboro 9 (11)
Final: Coahoma 3, Grandview 2 (8)
CLASS 2A
Beckville 4, Forsan 3
Shiner 4, Crawford 3
Final: Shiner 10, Beckville 4
CLASS 1A
Jonesboro 10, Slocum 0 (6)
Neches 7, Hermleigh 2
Final: Jonesboro 3, Neches 1
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TOP STORYLINES
1. Does DFW end its drought?
The greater Dallas-Forth Worth area has been in a major softball drought – without a state champion for the past four state tournaments – that’s 24 champs. Forney won the 5A title and Bells won 2A in 2018 – marking this week’s games six years since that happened.
6A is in a drought one year longer as Keller last won in the largest classification in 2017.
That year Keller, The Colony, Krum and Bells won softball championships.
The 2018 Forney team went down in history as one of the best all-time.
The Rabbits beat Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill 3-0 in the semifinals and Richmond Foster 4-1 in the final. The team was loaded with talent that included Trinity Cannon (A&M), Savanna DesRochers (Kansas), Hannah Holdbrook (Monticello), Vanessa Hollingsworth, Caroline Tedder, Sadie Hewitt, Caleigh Cross, Savannah Hughes and Jessika Roberts.
2. Unfinished Business for Denton Guyer
The Guyer Wildcats won their first 35 games of the season last year before winning the 6A Region 1 final over Keller that clinched the program’s second state tournament berth (2010). The team beat Cypress Bridgeland in the semifinals 6-3 before losing to Pearland 4-2 in the championship.
It was Guyer’s first state runner-up finish.
Nearly a year later, the Wildcats are back in Austin. They beat Keller again in Game 3 of the regional final to clinch the berth. Guyer is the first 6A team from DFW to reach state in back-to-back years since Keller went to Austin in 2016 and 2017.
But head coach Keith Medford and his players are looking for redemption and unfinished business – in hopes of bringing home the program’s first state championship trophy.
The team returned seven starters and enter the week 37-4. Sophomore Finley Montgomery has continued to pitch impressively and has done a great job in her first year with the bat. The top of the order has been tough with Kaylynn Jones (Oregon), Lauryn Jones (Howard) and Erin Peterson (Texas State).
3. Can Grandview get over the hump?
The Zebras (31-3) are making the trip to state for the second straight season and third time overall – all since 2018. But in their two previous appearances, the team has lost in the semifinals. In 2018 – it was Hughes Springs in extras and in 2023 – it was Santa Gertrudis Academy.
Grandview enters the week after outscoring Franklin 22-1 in a two-game sweep in the regional final. The Zebras are outscoring teams this season 319-48. They are averaging over 9 runs per game and allowing 1.4 on defense.
Coach Leigh Ebner’s group is 10-1 this postseason with a scoring differential of 101-12.
4. Melissa’s Caigan Crabtree playing at future college
Caigan Crabtree is a 2025 shortstop for the Cardinals (36-2-1) and committed to the University of Texas. She chose the Longhorns last September. While Crabtree and Melissa play on Friday, the Texas softball team will be in OKC for the Women’s College World Series.
UT is the #1 overall seed.
Crabtree is having a career year hitting 0.555 with 61 hits, 19 doubles, 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in. She leads the team in batting and doubles, second in hits and third in RBI and home runs.
5. Sanger returns to state after nearly 25 years
The Indians historic playoff run continued with their second state berth all-time and first since 2001. Sanger won the 3A title that season with wins over Sinton and Midland Greenwood. The team is headed to state and will play on Thursday after defeating Pampa in two games, including a walk-off win in Game 2.
Sanger can be the first school from Denton County to win multiple state titles. Krum won in 2017 and Pilot Point won in 2013. The Indians are 38-7 and outscoring teams this seaosn 407-96.
2025 pitcher Leala Kloewer threw a two-hit shutout with 12 Ks in Game 1 vs Pampa.
Kloewer allowed three runs on seven hits with 10 Ks in eight innings during the G2 clincher.
6. Can Aledo bring back home the gold?
With this week’s appearance, the Ladycats are now tied for seventh all time with their seventh state tournament. It’s the program’s third trip to state in the last four seasons with state runner-up in 2021 against Barbers Hill and state semifinalist in 2022 against Georgetown.
Aledo swept Burleson Centennial 2-0 & 12-7 in the regional final.
The Ladycats are three-time champs, but haven’t won a title since 2015. They also won in 2008 and 2014. That 2015 team was special with eight senior starters and eight starters that went on to play in college.
Coach Heather Myers’ team is one of the few teams in the state with two D1 committed pitchers in senior Brenlee Gonzales (Texas Tech) and Taylor McKean (Tarleton State).
7. Guyer, Melissa, Whitesboro, Grandview go for FIRST state title
Four area teams are looking to bring home the first softball title in program history. Melissa and Whitesboro are making their first state appearance after taking down Forney and Emory Rains in the regional final.
Melissa showed off its dynamic pitching duo in junior Alex Starr (Michigan State commit) and freshman Eloisa Maes. Starr beat Forney 5-2 in Game 1 while Maes posted her second straight shutout (Forney and Frisco Wakeland). Maes allowed four hits against Forney.
Whitesboro’s bats got on fire in the G2 clincher vs Rains.
The Bearcats scored 19 runs and hit four home runs. Oli Hildebrand hit two and drove in seven runs. Avery Howerton and Bradi Gallaway also went yard and Mel Baldwin went 3 for 4 with four RBI. Keely Hartless hit the walk off two-run single to end the game early.
Head coach Presley Gallaway won state as a player with Pilot Point.
Whitesboro hasn’t won a team state title in school history.
They reached state in boys basketball (1965) and girls basketball (1954, 1995).
8. How many home runs with Melissa, Adrian finish with?
Melissa heads to state with a Texas high school record 89 home runs this season – an average of 2.3 long balls per game. Freshman Lulu Adrian has a DFW single season record 22.
Sophomore Kennedy Bradley has 20 – tied for third most.
Crabtree has 19.
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
1. Finley Montgomery, Guyer: Pitched 18 innings vs Keller during the regional final and gave up just two earned runs (0.78 ERA).
2. Kaylynn Jones, Guyer: Had multiple hits in all three games vs Keller, including in her first three at-bats in the Game 3 clincher.
3. Lauryn Jones, Guyer: Went 6 for 10 vs Keller and had four RBI in the G1 winner.
4. Caigan Crabtree, Melissa: The Texas commit hit her 19th home run – third in the playoffs – during G1 vs Forney. She hit the walk off grand slam i the regional quarterfinals vs Kingwood Park.
5. Lulu Adrian, Melissa: DFW leading 22 home runs and tied for the team lead with 62 RBI.
6. Kennedy Bradley, Melissa: Second in DFW with 20 home runs and tied with Adrian with 62 RBI.
7. Alex Starr, Melissa: Michigan State commit is 27-1 with a 1.04 ERA.
8. Ana Flores, Aledo: The senior shortstop leads the Cats with a 0.439 average, 10 HR, 10 doubles and 50 RBI. Hit a two-run homer in the G2 clincher vs Centennial
9. Marina Taveras, Aledo: Second on the team with seven home runs and is the cousin of Texas Ranger World Series champion outfielder Leody Taveras.
10. Brenlee Gonzales, Aledo: Goes into state with a 19-1 record and 0.81 ERA.
11. Leala Kloewer, Sanger: Among the top two-way players this season, especially in the playoffs. Threw a two-hitter in G1 vs Pampa. Also had a walk-off hit this postseason vs Krum.
12. Lily Wilson, Sanger: The spark plug in the Indians order, who had a huge series vs Dumas in the regional semifinals.
13. Abby Chapmond, Sanger: Had a key two-run home run in G2 vs Pampa.
14. Avery Howerton, Whitesboro: Threw 14 Ks in Game 1 vs Rains and homered in G2. Howerton is a top area pitcher and batter. At the plate, hitting 0.620 with 17 homers and 52 runs batted in.
15. Bradi Gallaway, Whitesboro: Hitting 0.477 with 52 hits, 64 runs, 48 RBI, 11 doubles, 6 triples and 15 HR.
16. Oli Hildebrand, Whitesboro: Batted 5 for 8 with two home runs and eight RBI vs Rains.
17. Madi Doty, Grandview: Doty has been even more dominating in her sophomore season with 59 strikeouts in the last five games during the regional semis and regional final. Also has a strong bat and was the only Zebra that made the all-tourney team last season.
18. Bella Jeter, Grandview: Batted 1.000 with seven RBI in two games vs Franklin.
19. Jaley James, Grandview: The UNT commit gets the offense going at the lead off position.
20. Kylie Grafa, Grandview: Among the top hitting and defensive catchers in DFW. Hit a grand slam vs Franklin.
