Category: Softball

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” →

by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie cruises past Parkland; AHS sees season end with loss to Hanks

Saturday played out the same way Friday did for Abilene’s local softball teams, which was a good thing for Wylie and a bad thing for Abilene High.

The Lady Bulldogs extended their season into the Region I-5A quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over El Paso Parkland in Game 2, while the Lady Eagles saw a successful campaign end with a 7-1 loss to El Paso Hanks.

Wylie will advance now to face Hanks next week in a best-of-three series in Monahans, beginning with Game 1 at 6 p.m. Friday. Abilene High, meanwhile, closed its season at 27-7. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Lady Dragons sweep Hamlin to advance to regional quarterfinals

SAN ANGELO — The Bangs Lady Dragons demonstrated two distinct ways to win in Friday’s area round series with Hamlin — a come-from-behind 3-1 victory in Game 1, followed by a harrowing 10-9 escape in Game 2. 

By night’s end, Bangs had clinched a spot in the Region I-2A quarterfinals where it will face Hawley next week at a site and time to be determined. 

Abby Wolf earned two complete game wins in the circle and was a combined 3 for 8 with three RBIs to lead Bangs (26-4), which is now enjoying one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie bats explode late against Parkland; Hanks rallies past AHS

What looked like it would be a banner day for the Abilene High and Wylie softball teams in the Permian Basin on Friday quickly evaporated in the span of just three outs for the Lady Eagles.

AHS saw El Paso Hanks score five runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 7-6 comeback win.

Wylie also had a three-out swing in its game, but the Lady Bulldogs were on the other end as they walloped El Paso Parkland 20-1.

Both best-of-three series will resume on Saturday.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Young Abilene High softball squad making waves ahead of schedule

After graduating six key seniors from last year’s 17-13 squad, Abilene High softball coach Jenna Bane admits she wasn’t quite sure what to expect from a much more youthful team this season. 

The Lady Eagles were making the move from Class 6A to Class 5A, but they’d be doing so with a number of freshmen and sophomores in key roles.

But what began as a leap of faith on the part of the AHS coaches and players has turned into one of the area’s most noteworthy success stories.

At 27-5, the Lady Eagles have outpaced all reasonable expectations placed on them. And entering a tough area-round playoff series against a 34-1 El Paso Hanks squad this weekend in Fort Stockton, Bane’s bunch is looking to continue that trend right into the Region I-5A quarterfinals.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Coahoma ends Holliday’s season for second straight year

Coahoma’s Brynn Rodgers (left) and Holliday’s Jaci Shepherd watch a pitch in the third inning of Thursday’s area round game at Hawley.

HAWLEY —What took three days and two games to achieve a year ago was over in a little more than 90 minutes this time around. 

In a rematch of last year’s Region I-3A championship series, Coahoma and Holliday met in a one-game winner-take-all area round clash on Thursday, with CHS ending Holliday’s season for a second straight year with a 4-0 win. 

Hannah Wells tossed a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs to lead Coahoma (29-3) which advances to face either Comfort or Henrietta in the Region I-3A quarterfinals.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville’s Cameron takes this week’s award

It’s always a great accomplishment to go to the state track meet in multiple events. But when it’s done in dominating fashion at the Class 4A level or above, you’re generally talking about a very special, gifted athlete. 

Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Victoria Cameron of Stephenville, falls directly into that category and she has the regional hardware to prove it. 

Taking four gold medals at the Region I-4A meet, Cameron scored 30 individual points while clinching four berths to the state meet. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie secure bi-district sweeps to advance to area round

The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams closed out bi-district sweeps on Saturday, advancing to next week’s area round with lopsided Game 2 wins.

The Lady Eagles followed a 6-0 Game 1 victory over Amarillo Caprock with an 11-1 rout in Game 2, while the Lady Bulldogs trounced Plainview 10-0 a day after claiming an 11-1 win in Game 1.

With the series victory, AHS moves on to take on 34-1 El Paso Hanks next week in the second round. Wylie, meanwhile, will face El Paso Parkland (18-16).

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Early eliminates Jacksboro in back-to-back nail-biters

EARLY — It was six hours of insanity with a half hour bathroom break in the middle.  But by the time the dust settled, the Early Lady Longhorns had posted back-to-back one-run victories to eliminate Jacksboro in a best-of-three bi-district series that may never be forgotten by those who played in it.

Having lost Game 1 on Thursday, Early rallied to take Game 2, 9-8 Saturday evening. But that was a mere warmup for the storm ahead: An 18-17 knockdown drag-out affair that didn’t end until after 1 a.m. Sunday morning.  Fans arrived in short sleeves, enjoying a warm evening. They left wrapped in blankets as a late-night chill dominated Game 3 several hours later.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Late homer in Game 2 propels Glen Rose rally for series win

After a thrilling extra-innings win over Glen Rose in Friday’s series opener, the Snyder softball team needed to win just one game on Saturday at Cougar Diamond to advance in the Region I-4A postseason.

When Ava Aviles launched a home run in the top of the sixth inning of Game 2 that landed on top of the batting cages to give Snyder a one-run lead, it appeared as though the Lady Tigers were on the verge of sweeping the series.

Glen Rose’s Mia Fletcher answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, though, to propel Glen Rose to a 6-5 win before her squad scored early and often in Game 3 to secure a 10-3 win and complete a series rally.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie kick off playoffs with lopsided wins

The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams opened the playoffs with impressive showings Friday, each winning the opener of their Region I-5A bi-district series with comfortable wins.

The Lady Eagles shut out Amarillo Caprock 6-0 at Lubbock Cooper, while the Lady Bulldogs routed Plainview 11-1 at Lubbock Christian University. 

Both teams will try to close out their series Saturday, when play resumes with Game 2 at their same respective sites.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Walls’ two homers launch Brownwood into second round

Leave no doubt.

That’s what the Brownwood softball team wanted to do after a late rally on Thursday gave it a 1-0 series lead over Levelland.

Friday afternoon, Chloe Walls left no doubt, as her bat propelled the Lady Lions to a 12-0 win over the Lady Loboes at Cougar Diamond and a sweep of the Region I-4A bi-district series.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Snyder rallies from 5-0 deficit to take down Glen Rose in nine innings

Trailing 5-1 and down to their final three outs, the Snyder Lady Tigers needed a spark Friday in Game 1 of their best-of-three bi-district series against Glen Rose.

Coach Regina Cummings’ squad had been limited to just five hits through the first six innings and was shut out until Ava Aviles’ solo home run in the fifth.

But after struggling to find their bats for most of the game against Glen Rose starter Shannon Wright, SHS got the jolt it needed in the seventh in the form of a leadoff home run by Tayla Jamison. That blast to left kick started a six-hit frame that would also feature a two-run shot by Aviles and a game-tying double by Arynne Vasquez to force extra innings, where the home team completed a dramatic 6-5 win with Saleigh Hernandez’s walk-off home run in the ninth. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Sweetwater run-rules Stephenville 13-2 to open best-of-three bi-district series

BRECKENRIDGE — The Sweetwater softball team opened the playoffs in explosive fashion Thursday, racking up 17 hits in a 13-2 run-rule victory over Stephenville in Game 1 of a best-of-three Region I-4A bi-district series.

The Lady Mustangs scored at least one run in every inning, plating four in the first and three in the second to build an early lead they’d only add to the rest of the way. 

With Thursday’s victory,  Sweetwater will have a chance to clinch a sweep and a spot in the area round when the series resumes with Game 2 at 5 p.m. Friday back in Breckenridge. Game 3, if necessary, would follow 30 minutes after the completion of Game 2.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Haskell, Cisco split first two games of bi-district series

ANSON — The first two games of the Region I-2A bi-district softball matchup between Cisco and Haskell were anything but pretty.

Over the course of five hours, the two teams combined for 29 runs, 32 hits and 27 errors as they split the first two games of the best-of-three series at Anson on Thursday night.

Haskell took the opening game 8-7 in eight innings before the Lady Loboes bounced back with a 14-0 win in the second game.

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (through April 27)

NOTE: WITH THE REGULAR SEASON COMING TO A CLOSE, THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL SOFTBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS LIST FOR 2023

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 27 (top 25 in each category). 

Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock sophomore takes this week’s accolade with mercy rule no-hitter

A no-hitter alone is often enough to secure the Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. But when it’s backed by a solid offensive performance, it’s very difficult to get knocked off of the perch. 

Brock sophomore Jesse Rusinek takes this week’s accolade after holding Eastland hitless in a 15-0 mercy rule win that saw him miss a perfect game by one walk. He fanned 12 in the process. 

“He was dealin’ out there,” Brock coach Kobe Page said of the stuff Rusinek had in the Eastland game. “When he’s on, he’s pretty tough …  just showing up, battling and moving the ball around the strike zone.  He was ‘on.'”

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