Category: Softball

by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Merkel senior closes the curtain in a big way.

Merkel senior Kooper Darby picked the right time to post the best all-around game of his high school career. 

Playing in his final basketball game as a Merkel Badger, our Big Country Preps Player of the Week tallied a career-high 44 points to go with 16 rebounds, five assists, five steals in a 79-42 win over San Angelo Grape Creek. 

With the Badgers (17-16) missing the playoffs, Darby had a final opportunity to make an impact as a high schooler and he did — like a meteor. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Softball Position Rankings: Utility Players/Designated Players

After recognizing the top pitchers, catchers, infielders and outfielders that the Big Country softball scene has to offer, we close our position rankings series with a celebration of versatility.

For the final installment in our five-part series, we take a look at the top utility players, ranking our top-10 multi-position standouts to watch in 2024. And as a bonus, we’ve also listed our top three designated players for the upcoming season.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through these lists and encourage you to come back next week when we’ll feature the top baseball players in the Big Country.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Softball Position Rankings: Outfielders

After spending the first three days of our softball position rankings series in the dirt, we move the grass for Day 4.

For the penultimate installment of our five-part series, we take a look at the top outfielders in the Big Country, ranking our top 10 with others to watch in 2024.

We hope you enjoy our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Softball Position Rankings: Infielders

After highlighting the top pitchers and catchers on the Big Country softball scene the past two nights, it’s time to turn our spotlight to the field.

For the third installment in our five-part position rankings series, we list our top-10 infielders in the area for the 2024 season.

We hope you enjoy reading through our rankings.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Softball Position Rankings: Catchers

After kicking off our softball position rankings series on Wednesday with the pitchers, we now shift our attention to their battery mates.

For the second installment in our five-part series, we rank the area’s top 10 catchers with others to watch for in 2024.

We hope you enjoy our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Softball Position Rankings: Pitchers

With softball season kicking off this week, it’s time to take a look at the players who will be making the biggest impact throughout the Big Country Preps coverage area in 2024.

For the first installment in a five-part series that will cover all position groups on the area softball scene, we’ll be taking a look at the Big Country’s top pitchers, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this spring.

We hope you enjoy reading through our list.

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by Evan Ren

SIGNING DAY 2024: Multiple area athletes have now inked their commitments

With National Signing Day taking place on Wednesday, the Big Country, as always, saw a large number of athletes finalize their commitments to compete at the next level. 

Headliners among this year’s signees include Albany running back Adam HIll and Hawley receiver Chandlin Myers, both of whom signed early with Texas Tech University. 

Stephenville offensive lineman Creece Brister (TCU) and Comanche defensive back Kyler Beaty (Baylor) also inked their letters early. They’re joined Brock offensive/defensive lineman Hunter Fay (Navy) and standout hurdler Dylan Foster (Army) as the top signees in the Big Country Preps coverage area.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Why do coaches even bother?

If I were to ask one question of every high school coach in America – just one – it would be … why bother?

Yes … why bother?

While that may sound vague to some, it will quickly make sense to coaches and to those who have been paying attention.

Put simply, a once-thankless profession has sunk even lower than that (if that’s possible) – making me wonder if it’s worth the effort.

Continue reading “EVAN REN: Why do coaches even bother?” →

by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2023 Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team

Our All-Big Country Preps softball and baseball teams, released this week, are in place to honor those who achieved the most on-field success in 2023. It is off the field, however, where character, grit, and work ethic are often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team that we wish to honor those players, male and female, who were (simply put) the hardest-working, best teammates in the area this spring. 

This team isn’t about who the best baseball and softball players were.

The All-Hustle team honors effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches wish they had in every player and upon which championships are built.

It is for that reason that this team is largely selected by area coaches and described in their own words.

Big Country Preps is now honored to present these individuals to you — the best team players (boys and girls) that the Big Country had to offer during the 2023 season.

The players below are listed in no particular order. 

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by Evan Ren

2023 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: Superlative Award Winners

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2023 Big Country Preps Softball Team: First-team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2023 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: Second-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our second-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2023 Big Country Preps Rising Stars Softball Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2023 All-Big Country Preps baseball 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.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME REPORT: Coahoma tops Santa Gertrudis 4-2 to claim second softball state title

The special moment that had been a year in the making could begin as soon as Kaedyn Lee secured the fly ball in right field. 

Coahoma, which had come so close to winning it all the previous year, could finally celebrate on the infield at McCombs Field. 

The Lady Bulldogs captured the Class 3A state championship Thursday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over Santa Gertrudis Academy. It’s Coahoma’s second softball title in school history with the other coming in 1998. 

Continue reading “GAME REPORT: Coahoma tops Santa Gertrudis 4-2 to claim second softball state title” →

by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME REPORT: Hermleigh softball routs D’Hanis to claim first state championship

Call it dominance. Call it revenge. Call it a transcendent performance from Summer Smith. 

However you decide to label it, the Hermleigh softball team earned the right to be called Class 1A state champions Wednesday afternoon after overpowering D’Hanis for a 9-0 victory at the University of Texas’ McCombs Field. 

It’s the Lady Cardinals’ first state softball championship, and it comes almost a year to the day since Hermleigh suffered a 6-2 defeat against the Cowgirls in last year’s title game. 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME REPORT: Wells pitches Bulldogettes to 1-0 win over Rains in Class 3A state semifinals

A fifth-inning single that didn’t even leave the infield. 

That was the only hit Coahoma ace Hannah Wells surrendered Wednesday afternoon during a Class 3A state semifinal against Emory Rains. 

Wells’ domination in the circle combined with Baylor Wright’s RBI single in the second inning were the difference as the Bulldogettes kept their state championship hopes alive with a 1-0 victory at the University of Texas’ McCombs Field. 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME REPORT: Como-Pickton too much for Stamford in 7-1 state semifinal win

Como-Pickton struck for three runs against Stamford in the first inning Tuesday night in their Class 2A state semifinal. 

With ace Mattison Buster hitting her spots, that was more than enough run support for the Lady Eagles, who picked up a 7-1 victory at McCombs Field in Austin. 

Como-Pickton (38-2) advances to face Weimar in the 2A championship set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, while the Lady Bulldogs (27-7-1) had their successful season end in the semifinals for the second straight year. 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME REPORT: Big fifth inning fuels Hermleigh past Dodd City, earns Lady Cards rematch with D’Hanis

Hermleigh is once again a victory away from its first state softball title. 

The Lady Cardinals broke open a scoreless Class 1A state semifinal with a seven-run fifth inning, claiming a 9-3 victory over Dodd City on Tuesday afternoon at McCombs Field in Austin. 

And once again, D’Hanis will be standing in Hermleigh’s way of a championship. The two teams will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday in a rematch of last year’s 1A title game that the Cowgirls won 6-2. 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Bulldogettes’ dominant run fueled by last year’s state tournament heartbreak

A week. 

That’s how long the Coahoma softball team took off after last year’s heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Hallettsville in the Class 3A state championship game. 

The Bulldogettes returned to work over the summer with one goal — making another trip to Austin and taking care of unfinished business. They haven’t relaxed much since. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Stamford softball earns third straight state trip with 15-1 win over Forsan

The Stamford softball team is headed back to the Class 2A state tournament for the third consecutive year after routing Forsan 15-1 in Game 2 of the Region I-2A championship series Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.

Leading 4-0 after five innings, the Lady Bulldogs exploded for five runs in the sixth and six more in the seventh to turn a competitive ballgame into a blowout and make an easy winner out of freshman ace Emma Follis, who held a potent Lady Buffalo lineup to just one run on four hits in the victory.

The win, which came after thunderstorms delayed the game’s start by about an hour and a half, improved coach Sean Slavin’s squad to 27-6-1 on the season, while Forsan saw its campaign end at 28-10.

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by Evan Ren

GAME REPORT: Coahoma opens regional title series with 10-0 win over Lamesa

COAHOMA — Hannah Wells tossed a five-inning no-hitter and was 2 for 3 with an RBI to help Coahoma to a 10-0 win over Lamesa in Game 1 of their Region I-3A championship series on Friday at CHS. 

With Wells dominating in the circle, the Bulldoggettes steadily pounded away at Lamesa, bringing home two runs apiece in the first and second innings, one in the third, four in the fourth and the mercy rule clincher in the fifth. 

The Bulldoggettes (33-3) can clinch their second straight trip to the state tournament with a win in Game 2, slated for 1 p.m. Saturday in Lamesa. Game 3 (if necessary), will begin 30 minutes after Game 2.  Lamesa fell to 23-6 with the loss.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Stamford uses quick start to earn Game 1 win over Forsan

ABILENE — A six-run first inning, backed by solid pitching from freshman Emma Follis was enough to give the Stamford Lady Bulldogs a 6-1 win in Game 1 of their Region I-2A championship series with Forsan at Abilene Christian University on Thursday. 

Madi Woolf was 2-for-3 with a grand slam homer and Laylonna Applin was 1 for 2 with a two-run homer to lead Stamford (26-6-1), which can clinch its third straight trip to the state tournament with a win in Game 2 slated for noon on Saturday at ACU.  Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after Game 2. 

Forsan (28-9) was led by Madi Roach, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and K’Leigh Williams, who was 2-for-3 with a double.

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by Evan Ren

FEATURE: Forsan’s Taylor leaving on a high note as her team pursues regional title in her final season

FORSAN — For months, Forsan softball coach Shanna Taylor wrestled with the idea of stepping down from a labor of love. 

An 18-year journey that included more than 300 career victories and two state championships (2009 and 2010) had reached a crossroads: Should she continue on, or call it a career and enjoy some quality time with her family? 

Eventually, she chose the latter — a decision she was comfortable with, but not without a degree of sadness as her Lady Buffaloes began what she knew would be her final season on the diamond.  A season, as fate would have it, that has been extended to this week’s Region I-2A championship series where her Lady Buffaloes (28-8) will face off with area power Stamford (25-6-1) with the winner advancing to the state tournament. 

Game 1 is slated for 5 p.m. Thursday at Abilene Christian University.  Game 2 will begin at noon on Saturday at ACU, with Game 3 (if needed) following 30 minutes after Game 2.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Big first inning fuels Stamford to 13-2 win over C-City, on to Region I-2A finals

A five-run first inning sent all the momentum to the Stamford dugout, and the Lady Bulldogs never let it go, cruising to a 13-2 win over Colorado City on Saturday at the Abilene High softball field to clinch a sweep of their Region I-2A semifinal series with the Lady Wolves.

After Thursday’s Game 1 saw SHS grind out a 2-0 win that was competitive throughout, coach Sean Slavin’s team jumped on C-City early in Game 2, building a 9-0 lead before the Lady Wolves finally got on the board.

The Lady Bulldogs scored in four of their seven trips to the plate, plating at least two runs on each occasion to give starter Emma Follis far more run support than she would need. The victory earned Stamford (25-6-1) a trip to next week’s Region I-5A championship round, where it will face off with Forsan at a time, date and place to be determined.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Lady Buffs ride better pitching, better defense and of course, better music to regional semifinal win over Bangs

ABILENE — Less than 24 hours after posting a combined 29 runs and more than 30 hits, the Forsan and Bangs softball teams produced a near polar opposite of the 16-13 FHS win in Game 1. 

Friday at Abilene Christian University, the same two teams, with the same two pitchers in the same venue locked horns in a 1-0 Forsan win in Game 2 which ended the series and pushed the Lady Buffaloes into the Region I-2A championship. There, they will meet either Stamford or Colorado City at a sit and time to be determined. 

The difference, according to Forsan pitcher Maddie Roach, may not be what you would expect to hear. Coming off a rough outing in Game 1 that saw her allow 13 runs on 16 hits, Roach spent much of Game 2 smiling, laughing and even dancing a bit to tunes being played over the PA while she was on the field. 

“I think it’s because I kept a good attitude today,” said Roach, who delivered seven straight empty frames on Friday. “And there was better music on.” 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Forsan blows nine-run lead, then rallies to top Bangs 16-13 in regional semifinal thriller

ABILENE — If Game 1 of a Region I-2A softball semifinal between Forsan and Bangs is any indication of what’s ahead, one shouldn’t take anything for granted. 

Leading 9-0 heading into the bottom of the second, Forsan blew the lead and eventually fell behind 13-10 only to rally for a 16-13 win in a thriller at Abilene Christian University. 

K’Dynce Speck was 3 for 5 with a double, homer and four RBIs and Emma Buske was 2 for 5 with a double and three runs scored to lead Forsan (27-8), which can end the series with a win in Game 2, set for 5 p.m. Friday at ACU.  Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after that. 

“That was a really good game,” said Forsan coach Shanna Taylor, who will retire after 18 years at FHS at the conclusion of this season. “Bangs is really scrappy, but our team has a lot of fight in them and a lot of grit, so I was glad to see them come back and fight for that win.” 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Pitching dominates as Stamford edges Colorado City 2-0 in Game 1

For the second time this week, Laylonna Applin’s bat in the sixth inning delivered a backbreaking home run.

After doing it in Stamford’s Game 3 win over Cisco on Monday, the senior hammered one out in Game 1 of the Region I-2A semifinal series against Colorado City on Thursday night at Abilene High.

Applin’s blast on Thursday was an insurance run that Emma Follis wound up not needing, but it was the key blow in a 2-0 win by the Lady Bulldogs, who will look to close out the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Stamford hammers Cisco in Game 3 to earn regional semifinal berth

After the first two games of ther Region I-2A quarterfinal series between Stamford and Cisco were decided by identical 3-2 scores, Lady Bulldogs coach Sean Slavin was looking for any kind of spark to set his team on fire in Monday’s series finale.

Slavin had plenty of choices as to what started the fire at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field, where the Lady Bulldogs hammered the Lady Loboes 17-3, setting up a region semifinals series with Colorado City that will start Thursday night.

The last time the two teams met in the playoffs, Stamford swept the Lady Wolves in the same round on its way to the 2021 state championship.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Stamford returns the favor with walk-off 3-2 win to tie series with Cisco

ABILENE — Two days removed from suffering a walk-off 3-2 loss to Cisco in Game 1 of a Region I-2A quarterfinal in Brownwood, the Stamford Lady Bulldogs turned the tables on CHS by following a very similar script. 

Overcoming an early 2-0 deficit just has Cisco had on Thursday, Stamford (22-6) rallied for a 3-2 victory at Abilene High School, winning in walk-off fashion with a bases-loaded walk by Emma Follis to knot the series at a game apiece. 

Follis also went the distance in the circle, tossing a three-hitter at the Lady Loboes (19-9) with one walk and four strikeouts.

Originally scheduled for Early High School, Game 2 was bumped to Abilene High and its turf infield due to heavy thunderstorm activity in the area. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Coahoma closes out Henrietta with combined no-hitter from Calvio, Wells

ABILENE — It isn’t every day that a softball coach faces the decision of replacing a pitcher who is in the midst of throwing a no-hitter. 

But Coahoma skipper Alex Orosco made that move in Game 2 of a Region I-3A quarterfinal with Henrietta on Saturday and it paid off in a 5-0 series-clinching win. 

Makayla Calvio delivered four no-hit innings and Hannah Wells slammed the door shut with three more hitless frames as the Bulldoggettes (31-3) swept the best-of-three series and advanced to the regional semifinals. There, the Bulldoggettes will face Bushland on Friday at 7 p.m. at Wolfforth Frenship in a one-game, winner-take-all semi.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SERIES RECAP: Wylie softball sees season end with sweep at hands of El Paso Hanks

MONAHANS — The Wylie softball team had its season come to a close Friday with a 7-5 loss to El Paso Hanks in Game 2 of a Region I-5A quarterfinal series that began Thursday with a 6-0 Lady Knights win in Game 1.

The sweep ended the Lady Bulldogs’ campaign at 30-8, one round short of the Wylie’s 2019 and 2022 runs to the region semifinals.

The losses ended the high school careers of eight seniors — Rylee Moore, Kat Martinez, Kadance Gilcrease, Reese Farrar, Hanna Hood, Kylee Rodriguez, Nylah Alvarado and Jadyn Fernandez — who were an instrumental part of the Lady Bulldogs’ success the past several seasons.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Cisco rallies to take Game 1 of quarterfinal series with Stamford

Stamford’s Emma Follis delivers a fifth-inning pitch in Thursday’s regional quartfinal game with Cisco in Brownwood.

BROWNWOOD — It took seven innings and a lot of patience, but the Cisco Lady Loboes managed to do what few would have predicted on Thursday at Brownwood High School. 

Trailing 2-0 to Stamford early on, Cisco rallied to win Game 1 of a Region I-2A quarterfinal series, 3-2, defeating a team that is coming off back-to-back trips to the state tournament. 

Hannah Rogers tossed a complete game five-hitter and Angie Espinoza was 3 for 4 with two RBIs to lead Cisco (19-8), which can close out the series if it defeats Stamford in Game 2, slated for 4 p.m. Saturday at Early High School. 

Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after Game 2. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie’s Farrar, Moore pitch way to shared honor

Coming off a bi-district sweep of Plainview in which Reese Farrar and Rylee Moore both pitched five-inning one-hitters, it was going to be difficult for Wylie’s co-aces to repeat that performance against El Paso Parkland in the area round.

And yet, they did.

Farrar pitched her second one-hitter of the playoffs while Moore tossed a five-inning no-hitter to fuel the Lady Bulldogs past the Lady Matadors 20-1 and 10-0 and into the Region I-4A quarterfinals, where WHS (30-6) will face off with 36-1 El Paso Hanks this week.

In the process, coach Heather Collier’s dynamic pitching duo claimed our penultimate Big Country Preps Player of the Year award of the 2022-23 school year.

Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie’s Farrar, Moore pitch way to shared honor” →