By Brian
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
For the 3rd straight season, the Melissa softball team has hit 90 home runs. The Cardinals blasted 4 long balls during last week’s 1-game playoff against Midlothian.
Kennedy Bradley, Finlee Williams both hit their 20th homers while Izzy Gonzales and Rihanna Rinn-Wheeler registered their 6th each as the Cardinals beat the Panthers 12-0 in the regional semifinals.
Coach Cassie Crabtree graduated 3 players that had home runs last season. Caigan Crabtree (Texas) hit 20 and Paisley Needham (Grayson College) added 12. Gabby Kuehler had 4 and Emmy Mabry, who went to play at Dallas HSAA, finished with 2.
So despite losing 38 home runs from last season, Melissa still managed to match its mark of 92 it had in 2024. The Cardinals hit 92 that season to break the state record – on their way to their first state championship in program history.
They went back-to-back in 2025, beating Barbers Hill 4-2 in the 5A D1 title game.
Melissa finished last season with a national record 122 homer runs, smashing the previous mark of 106 that was set by North DeSoto from Louisiana in 2022.
Bradley, a senior Florida signee, has 64 home runs in 3 years with Melissa – a career record. She set the DFW record last season with 24. Williams, a junior Oklahoma commit, has 39 in 2 years with the Cardinals while junior Lulu Adrian, an Arkansas commit, has 57 in 3 years. Adrian has 18 this season and set the DFW record with 22 as a freshman in 2024.
Junior Shug Bradford (Auburn, 10), Gonzales (Memphis, 6), Rinn-Wheeler (Northwestern State, 6), sophomore Bradyn Young (5), freshman Ana Gonzales (3), senior Hattie Winter (King University, 2) and sophomore Brielle Hamer (2) round out the Cardinals’ home runs this season.
Melissa will look to crack 100 home runs for the 2nd straight season. The Cardinals (31-2) will face District 9-5A foe Prosper Walnut Grove (24-14-1) in this week’s 5A D1 Region 2 Final. The 3-game series begins Thursday night at Walnut Grove.
In 2 district games against the Wildcats, Melissa has 9 home runs. Williams hit 3 during the Cardinals’ 15-0 win on April 17.
