Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 23.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his or her email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
The fall national signing period opened Wednesday, and a number of athletes throughout the Big Country Preps coverage area either made their college decisions official at signing day ceremonies or have announced plans to do so in the near future.
Here’s a list of those area seniors and where they’ll be competing next season:
Here are our superlative award winners for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our second-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2024 All-Big Country Preps Softball teams.
Here, you will find our Rising Stars Team honoring the top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country.
For the rest of this year’s softball selections, please click the links below.
AUSTIN — Less than 24 hours after surviving an 11-inning state semifinal with Whitesboro that took every ounce of energy his team could muster, Coahoma coach Alex Orosco had a two-fold challenge on his hands.
Not only did his Bulldogettes have to recover quickly to play for the Class 3A state championship on Thursday, but a difficult Grandview team was standing in the way of CHS winning a second straight title.
Somehow, someway, Coahoma met both challenges — finding the energy in sweltering Austin heat to defend its championship with a 3-2 win over the Lady Zebras in eight innings.
Brynn Rodgers was 2 for 4 with an RBI double to drive home Abi Rose for the game-winning run, and Hannah Wells tossed a six-hitter through eight innings to lift the Bulldogettes, who finished their season with a perfect 32-0 mark.
AUSTIN — As courtesy runner Emery Doporto rounded third to score the game-winning run, she was closing the books on one of the most memorable, heart-stopping, exhausting softball games for anyone who participated in it.
For 11 innings and more than 3½ hours, unbeaten defending Class 3A state champion Coahoma fought to overcome a shocking upset bid by Whitesboro, finally putting away the Lady Cats 10-9 at McCombs Field.
Mia Clemmer drove in Doporto with a two-out single in the bottom of the 11th to lift the Bulldogettes (31-0), who advance to face Grandview (32-3) for the 3A state title at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Hannah Wells was 5 of 6 with a homer and three RBIs and Addi Hart was 3 of 5 with two RBIs to pace Coahoma, which trailed 4-1, 5-2, 8-4 and 9-8 before finally getting in the last word.
AUSTIN — The comeback kids finally fell short. But not before putting nearly everyone at McCombs Field on the edge of their seats.
Power-hitting Forsan, with its penchant blasting its way out of trouble, saw its season come to a close on Tuesday in a 4-3 loss to Beckville in a Class 2A softball state semifinal.
Bethany Grandgeorge was 2 for 3 with two doubles and earned the pitching win, while Gracey Struwe and Bailey Quinn were both 1 for 3 with two RBIs to lead Beckville (32-6-2), which advances to face either Crawford (29-6) or Shiner (31-3) for the Class 2A state title at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Forsan (30-8-1), which had chopped a 4-0 deficit to 4-3, saw its rally end when Grandgeorge tossed a scoreless seventh inning while facing the top of the FHS order.
AUSTIN — A few missed opportunities, a few mistakes and one difficult pitcher was enough to close the books on another successful season by the Hermleigh softball team.
Squaring off with Neches in a Class 1A state semifinal at McCombs Field on Tuesday, the Lady Cardinals were left with a number of reasons they fell 7-2.
Neches pitcher Jessi Sumpter was at the top of that list after throwing a complete game three-hitter with 14 strikeouts.
Most Coahoma softball players only know what it’s like to end their season at the state tournament.
But not four-year varsity stalwarts Karleigh Burt and Brynn Rodgers. They were freshmen when the Bulldogettes lost in the third round of the 2021 playoffs to Jacksboro.
Knowing a trip to Austin wasn’t guaranteed, Burt and Rodgers have worked hard to ensure their senior season ended where they last two have. That’s exactly what’s happened as Coahoma (30-0) will face Whitesboro (32-7) at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Class 3A semifinals.
GRAHAM – Coahoma is headed back to Austin to defend its Class 3A title.
The Bulldogettes sucked all the drama out of the Region I-3A final with a 12-run second inning in Saturday’s winner-take-all matchup.
Coahoma is headed to the Class 3A state tournament after cruising past the Lady Hawks 12-1 in five innings. The Bulldogettes will play Whitesboro at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the semifinals.
LAMESA — Facing a must-win situation in Game 2 of their Region I-2A championship series with Forsan, the Anson Lady Tigers showed up ready to play on Wednesday in Lamesa, with a raucous crowd behind them.
They even rallied from an early 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 lead in the third inning.
Forsan, however, had an answer in an overpowering offensive display that featured 11 hits and two homers in a 10-3 win that clinched the first state berth for the Lady Buffaloes in 14 years.
K’dynce Speck was 3 for 4 with a double, homer and four RBIs and Maddie Roach was 2 for 4 with a homer and a win in the pitching circle to lead Forsan (30-7-1) which opens play at the state tournament at Red and Charline McCombs Field on Tuesday.
This will be the first trip to state for Forsan since the Lady Buffs claimed back-to-back Class 1A state titles in 2009 and 2010. Anson closed its season at 21-13, just one step away from reaching the first state tournament in program history.
LAMESA —When one thinks of a perfect game in high school softball, its generally a safe bet that it will come with a lofty strikeout count to take pressure off the defense.
But in the case of Forsan’s Bree Tubb, the sophomore delivered the ultimate rarity in Tuesday’s 8-0 win over Anson in Game 1 of the Region I-2A title series. Rather than dominating the Lady Tigers, Tubb pitched to contact, delivering 21 straight outs with only five strikeouts and error-free defense behind her.
The Lady Buffaloes (29-7-1) can close the series and earn a berth to the state tournament with a win in Game 2, at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in Lamesa. Game 3, if needed, with take place on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the same location. Anson fell to 21-12 with the loss.
Forsan was led offensively by K’Leigh Williams, who was 3-for-4 with a double, two homers and three RBIs.
STEPHENVILLE — The Abilene High softball program’s longest playoff run since 2003 came to a close Saturday, ending with a 7-1 loss to Burleson Centennial at Tarleton State University’s Tarleton Softball Complex.
The Game 2 defeat, which followed a 13-2 loss in Friday’s series opener, ended the Lady Eagles’ season at 25-15-1, capping the state’s second-longest playoff run this season by a fourth-seeded team.
While Saturday’s game, which was within reach until the Spartans scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend a three-run lead to seven, didn’t end the way the Lady Eagles had hoped it would, coach Jenna Aguirre said the push to the Region I-5A semifinals set a new standard for her program.
In a series full of wild momentum swings, it was the Forsan softball team that landed the decisive one against Haskell on Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
The Lady Buffs jumped out to a 7-0 lead through the first two innings of Game 3 and held on for a 10-6 win and a date with Anson in the regional final next week.
After rallying from a six-run deficit to win Game 1 on Thursday, Forsan saw Haskell start fast on Friday as the Maidens took Game 2.
Saturday’s series finale marked the first time all week that the Lady Buffs jumped out to an early lead and they made the most of it.
ABILENE — Less than a day removed from coughing up five errors and blowing a 7-1 lead, the Haskell Maidens found redemption at Abilene Christian University on Friday.
Trailing Forsan 1-0 in a best-of-three slate following a disastrous 15-7 loss on Thursday, Haskell produced a well-played, well-pitched 12-3 win at Poly Wells Field on Friday to knot the series at a game apiece.
Harley Medford was 3 for 4 with two doubles, a triple and five RBIs to lead Haskell (22-5), which snapped a 19-game Forsan winning streak with the victory.
Looking at the Abilene High softball team’s run totals, it would be easy to assume that the Lady Eagles have a lineup full of mashers. In the playoffs alone, AHS has averaged almost six runs per game — a hefty number behind a pair of standout pitchers in Diana Silva and Avah Reyes.
But coach Jenna Aguirre’s team doesn’t achieve those results the way one might think.
Doing more running that slugging, the Lady Eagles are playing big-inning softball using small ball. And in the process, they’re proving the age old idiom — speed kills.
ABILENE — Three innings into Game 1 of a Region I-2A semifinal on Thursday, everything was going Haskell’s way.
The Maidens were leading Forsan 7-1, they had outhit the Lady Buffs 8-3, they had all the momentum and it was beginning to look like a possible mercy rule victory for HHS.
Then it happened: An overwhelming display of power on the part of Forsan resulting in 14 unanswered runs over the final four innings, giving the Lady Buffs a stunning 15-7 come-from-behind win at Abilene Christian University.
K’leigh Williams was 3 for 5 with a double, a homer and four RBIs to lift Forsan (27-6-1), which can end the best-of-three series with a win in Game 2 at noon on Friday at ACU. Game 3, if needed, will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the same location.
Haskell (21-5), was led by sophomore Paige Sheets, who was 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBIs.
Both of this week’s Region 1-2A semifinal softball matchups will have a measure of, “Hey, wait a minute!” potential, especially if/when fans look into the third base coach’s boxes when the games’ announcers introduce the principal figures.
When Forsan and Anson take the field for their series against Haskell and Floydada, respectively, their head softball coaches will be leading a second team from their schools to the playoffs during the current school year. That’s what happens when the successful head softball coach is also the school’s successful head football coach.
And, even though Forsan’s Jason Phillips and Anson’s Cory McCombs took different paths to become two-sport mentors, they both are hoping for the same thing at the end of the week: a chance to face each other in next week’s region final series, the winner of which will be headed to the state tournament.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Coahoma-Henrietta regional quarterfinal softball game (55 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Stamford-Anson regional quarterfinal softball series (51 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Hico-Tolar regional quarterfinal softball series (32 images)”
ABILENE — With ace pitcher Emma Follis nursing a fractured thumb, the Stamford Lady Bulldogs weren’t just missing one player heading into Game 3 of a Region I-2A quarterfinal series with Anson.
In a realistic sense, they were actually missing two. Follis is not only SHS’ top pitcher, but is one of its top hitters as well. And her absence was simply too big of a handicap as Anson closed out the series with a lopsided 12-4 win on Saturday at Poly Wells Field.
When Amyah Starks suffered a season-ending knee injury in an early-season tournament, the Abilene High softball team was forced to find a new offensive identity with their slugger sidelined.
The Lady Eagles perfectly executed their small ball mentality in a five-run fourth inning, getting just a leadoff single in the frame as they finished off a Region I-5A sweep of crosstown rival Wylie with a 6-0 win Saturday morning at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
Despite being sidelined, Starks said she’s having as much fun this year she’s had in her four years in the program.
STEPHENVILLE — Cruising along with a 3-0 lead over Tolar through four innings, the Hico Lady Tigers had the momentum and the scoreboard in their possession in Friday’s Region II-2A quarterfinal.
Two quick swings of the bat, however, and Tolar managed to turn Game 1 of a best-of-three series completely on its ear, using two fifth-inning homers to hand Hico a 4-3 loss at Stephenville High School.
The series picks up again with Game 2 at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The series opener between Abilene High and Wylie was the pitcher’s duel many expected for 4½ innings Friday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
But when the Lady Eagles finally broke through against Lady Bulldogs starter Halli Russell in the bottom of the fifth, they did it big, pushing across seven runs to turn a scoreless thriller into a comfortable 7-0 win and take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three Region I-5A quarterfinal clash.
The victory, which improved Abilene High to 24-13-1 on the year, has the Lady Eagles within one win of their first trip to the fourth round of the playoffs since 2003 — something they’ll try to secure when the series resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday back at ACU.
Since 2018, the city of Abilene has had at least one team reach the third round of the softball playoffs every year but 2020, when no postseason was played due to COVID.
A local team has reached the fourth round of the playoffs in three of the last five completed seasons.
With Abilene High and Wylie set for a Region I-5A quarterfinals series Friday and Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field, that’s already guaranteed to happen again this season. The only question is which of those two surging teams it will be that represents the Key City in the region semifinals next week.
ABILENE — For five innings Thursday, the Snyder Lady Tigers struggled to figure out Burkburnett pitcher Natalee Gray in the opener of their Region I-4A quarterfinal series with the Lady Bulldogs.
But trailing 3-2 in the home half of the sixth after Gray had broken a tie with a solo homer in the top of the inning, coach Regina Cummings’ team finally found a successful formula against the talented right-hander.
Utilizing a patient approach at the plate, the Lady Tigers loaded the bases with a leadoff single and a pair of two-out walks and then applied pressure to the Lady Bulldogs defense simply by putting the ball in play, taking advantage of a pair of run-scoring errors in a five-run inning to key a 7-3 come-from-behind win at Abilene Cooper’s Cougar Diamond.
ABILENE — For the third round in a row, the Coahoma softball team faced a do-or-die postseason situation as the Bulldogettes had another single-game playoff on Thursday evening at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
Coach Alex Orosco’s message to his team, as it has been before all 27 games this year, was to weather the storm early knowing they’d get Henrietta’s best punch and then to wear down the Lady Cats in the later stages.
Coahoma did just that and unleashed an offensive onslaught in the fifth and sixth innings on its way to a 7-0 win in the Region I-3A quarterfinals.
ABILENE — One club left Abilene Christian University on cloud nine. The other left wondering how an apparent victory could so easily slip away at the last second.
Trailing Anson 1-0 with two on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Stamford Lady Bulldogs were able to score two runs courtesy of an Anson outfield error to top the Lady Tigers 2-1 in Game 1 of a Region I-2A quarterfinal series.
Emma Follis delivered seven solid innings in the circle and Cassidi Macias singled and eventually scored the winning run to lead Stamford (22-8), which can close the best-of-three series with a Game 2 victory at ACU on Friday at 3 p.m.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Bangs-Stamford area-round softball series (79 images)”
ANSON — A year ago, the Anson softball team had suddenly cratered.
The Lady Tigers had started 2023 with a respectable 12-7 record but collapsed with an 0-8 tally through district. This included blowout losses to powerhouse Stamford (19-7 and 36-2), to Haskell (7-3 and 16-0) and to Hamlin (20-2 and 22-3). Thoughts of postseason play were put on the backburner as the Lady Tigers closed at 12-15.
But what a difference a year and some effective pitching can make. An influx of young talent, including the addition of freshman pitcher Kayme Elrod, has resulted in a completely different outcome.
Not only have the Lady Tigers reached the playoffs in 2024, but they’re still alive — advancing to the Region I-2A quarterfinals. There, they will square off will area rival Stamford in a best-of-three series, set to begin at 3 p.m. Thursday at Abilene Christian University.
ABILENE — With her team’s season on the line Monday in the third game its Region I-2A area-round series against Bangs, Stamford ace Emma Follis was nothing short of dominant Monday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
Coming off a rough 14-4 loss in Game 2 that was extended deep into Saturday night by lightning delays, the standout sophomore delivered a six-inning shutout in the decisive third game, collecting 15 strikeouts in a 13-0 run-rule victory.
The win, which improved Stamford to 21-8 on the year, earned the Lady Bulldogs a regional quarterfinal date with district mate Anson later this week.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Hermleigh-Santa Anna softball (44 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Area softball playoff games in Clyde (41 images)”
Here are the recaps of the Big Country softball playoff results in the second round of the postseason: Continue reading “SOFTBALL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Despite weather, 12 area teams advance to third round with Bangs-Stamford outcome still pending”
The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams enjoyed a successful weekend, each sweeping their area-round series to advance to the Region I-4A quarterfinals, where they’ll play each other on Friday and Saturday.
Abilene High earned its second consecutive series win over a higher-seeded team, following its bi-district series victory over District 3-5A champion Amarillo High with an impressive showing against District 2-5A runner-up El Paso Ysleta. The Lady Eagles rallied past the Lady Indians for a 4-3 win in Game 1 before run-ruling Ysleta 11-1 in Game 2 to clinch the sweep.
Wylie, meanwhile, dispatched of District 1-5A runner-up Canutillo, following a 16-6 run-rule victory in the series opener with a hard-fought 7-6 win in Game 2.
The Lady Eagles and Lady Bulldogs will now meet in the third round of the playoffs after splitting their two district matchups. That series will be played at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field, opening at 6 p.m. Friday, before resuming with Game 2 ( and Game 3, if necessary) on Saturday, beginning at noon.
CLYDE — With 15 wins this year by a run-rule heading into their best-of-three series with Decatur, the Snyder Lady Tigers had not faced much adversity.
A 13-2 win in the opening game of the series on Thursday had it feeling like the Lady Tigers would roll into the third round of the Region I-4A postseason.
After storms interrupted Game 2 of the series, the Lady Eagles walked off Snyder with an Abby Steele home run for a 6-5 win on Saturday morning. Snyder, meanwhile, answered the bell with a 6-2 win in the series finale to advance to the next round.
CLYDE — Two innings into its one-game Region I-3A area-round playoff with Holliday on Friday at the Hanner Sports Complex, the top-ranked and defending state champion Coahoma softball team found itself in unfamiliar territory. The undefeated Bulldogettes were trailing on the scoreboard.
But down 1-0 heading to the bottom of the third, CHS righted the ship in a major way, putting three runners on in front of Brynn Rodgers, who blasted the second pitch she saw over the fence in center for a grand slam that turned the tide in what would eventually be a 9-3 win for CHS.
Rodgers’ blast, the senior’s first of two home runs in the game, staked the Bulldogettes to a 4-1 lead when play was stopped by lightning in the bottom of the fourth inning. And when the game was finally resumed more than three hours later, Rodgers added a two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth to build a 6-1 lead that proved a far larger cushion than needed with ace Hannah Wells in the circle.
EARLY — While the Bangs Lady Dragons may have been victimized by a little bad luck on Thursday, Stamford pitcher Emma Follis only compounded their problems.
Tossing a four-hit shutout with a whopping 15 strikeouts, Follis led Stamford to a 6-0 win in a best-of-three 2A area round series at Early High School.
Follis was so dominating, she rendered numerous Stamford bloop singles a moot point. One run would have been enough.
The series will resume with Game 2 on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Abilene Christian University.
TUSCOLA — Into the fourth inning on Tuesday night, Hermleigh’s softball team had very few answers for Santa Anna pitcher Dayla Ray.
Leading 4-2 with one out in the fourth, Hallie Ellerbee reached base on a controversial infield single and it led to an eight-run inning as the Lady Cardinals bats came alive on their way to a 13-3 win in the first game of a Region I-1A quarterfinal series.
Ellerbee’s hit was one that brought the dugout to life and quickly gave confidence to the Lady Cardinal offense.
CLYDE — The Haskell softball team scored early and often Tuesday, pounding out 18 hits in just four trips to the plate on their way to a 16-0 win over Coleman in a single-game Region I-2A playoff at the Hanner Sports Complex.
The Maidens got at least one hit from eight of their nine starters and had six players notch multi-hit games, while pitcher Paige Scheets was nothing short of dominant in a five-inning one-hitter.
The victory improved Haskell to 19-4 on the year and earned the Maidens a trip to the I-2A quarterfinals, where they’ll face off with the winner between Cisco and Miles next week.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Hawley-Cisco softball bi-district playoff series (75 images)”
Coming off a subpar performance in Game 1 of last week’s 2A bi-district series with Hawley, Cisco pitcher Hannah Rogers did something few expected: a complete about-face.
Rogers, who had been beaten up in an 11-4 loss on Friday afternoon that saw her allow 14 hits, quickly regained her form for Game 2 that evening. Limiting Hawley to seven hits, she led Cisco to a series-tying 5-2 win.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Snyder-Brownwood bi-district softball (52 images)”