Video: Softball pitcher strikes out all 21 in perfect game
See Mia Faieta of Cedar Grove (NJ) toss a truly perfect game.Weeks of tense playoff drama have reduced the number of schools with a chance to win a UIL state softball title to 24.
Six will be crowned champions across Classifications 1A-6A by Saturday night.
The four-day state tournament begins Wednesday with most of the action scheduled for the University of Texas at Austin's Red and Charline McCombs Field. The exception is the Class 1A semifinals on Friday which will be contested at Mary Hardin Baylor's Dee Dillon Softball Field in Belton. The 1A title game on Saturday will be played in Austin.
Keller has a chance to defend the Class 6A title it won a year ago. In Class 2A, Shiner is attempting to win its third consecutive state crown.
Here is a preview of the state tournament:
Iliana Martinez, Brennan
Photo by Ozzy Jaime
Coach Kim Cox; First state tourney appearance; Sophomores
Amber Allen and
Reese Taylor have combined for 20 pitching wins.
Shiner: Coach Steven Cerny; 12th state tourney appearance; Junior pitcher
Bethany Nevlud is 15-0 in the circle.
Archer City (28-6-2) vs. Bells (30-3), noon Wednesday.Archer City: Coach Mallory Mooney; Second state tourney appearance; Senior
Eliot Hilbers is a 20-game winner.
Bells: Kristina Stephens; First state tourney appearance; Freshman
Cheyenne Floyd has a 20-3 record and a .523 batting average.
Championship game: 3 p.m. Thursday.
Class 3A
Semifinals: Brock (33-7) vs. Santa Gertrudis Academy (Kingsville) (38-2), 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Brock: Ryan Starnes; Sixth state tourney appearance; Mattye Tyler, a junior, has fashioned a 27-4 record.
Santa Gertrudis: Thomas De Los Santos; Saidi Castillo, a junior pitcher, is 33-1 this season.
Hughes Springs (34-3) vs. Little River Academy (35-8), 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Hughes Springs: Coach Tisha Thompson; First state tourney appearance; Sophomores Zoe Lanier and Marisol Kennedy have divided the pitching duties with 17 and 16 wins, respectively.
Little River Academy: Coach Gus Beuershauen; First state tourney appearance; Senior Gaby Hay owns a 32-7 pitching record and a .439 batting average.
Championship game: 6 p.m. Thursday.
Class 4A
Semifinals: Krum (37-4) vs. Jones (Beeville) (34-6), 9 a.m. Thursday.
Krum: Coach Bryan Chaney; First state tourney appearance; Junior Tristan Bridges is 33-4 in the circle.
Jones: Coach Alan G. Burkett; Second state tourney appearance; Junior pitchers Aaliyah Ruiz and Saleen Flores have accumulated 17 and 14 wins, respectively.
Liberty Hill (38-2-1) vs. Vernon (24-7), noon Thursday.
Liberty Hill: Coach Charice Hankins; Second state tourney appearance; Sophomore pitchers Amber Wiggins and Abby Covington account for 22 and 16 victories, respectively.
Vernon: Coach Jena Cecil; First state tourney appearance; Junior Jade Guzman is a 22-game winner.
Championship game: noon Saturday.
Class 1A
Semifinals (in Belton): Hermleigh (19-1) vs. Dodd City (9-11), 11 a.m. Friday
Hermleigh: Coach Heath Gibson; First state tourney appearance; Kelsey Digby has a 15-1 pitching record.
Dodd City: Coach Dalton Herndon; Second state tourney appearance; Kenzee Jones, a freshman pitcher, is credited with all nine wins.
Slocum (Elkhart) (17-14) vs. Bartlett (18-7), 2 p.m. Friday.
Slocum: Coach David Ives; Fourth state tourney appearance; Jalyn Fletcher, a sophomore, is batting .554 with a 10-0 pitching record.
Bartlett: Coach Natalie Krumnow; First state tourney appearance; Freshman Jana Nowinsky is the pitcher of record in all the team's games and is batting .592.
Championship game (Austin): 9 a.m. Saturday.
Class 5A
Semifinals: Canyon (35-4) vs. The Colony (31-7), 9 a.m. Friday.
Canyon: Coach Nicole Coffee; First state tourney appearance; Kyla Lair, a junior is batting .447 with a 27-1 pitching record.
The Colony: Coach Deana Coleman; First state tourney appearance; Freshman shortstop Jayda Coleman is batting .679 and sophomore pitcher Karlie Charles is 24-3.
Willis (40-7) vs. Dripping Springs (35-8), noon Friday.
Willis: Coach Stephanie Shelly; First state tourney appearance; Senior Casey Dixon owns a 34-7 pitching record.
Dripping Springs: Coach Wade Womack; Fifth state tourney appearance; Senior Kiele Miller is 23-4 in the circle.
Championship game: 3 p.m. Saturday.
Class 6A
Semifinals: Deer Park (38-6) vs. Keller (33-6-1), 3 p.m. Friday.
Deer Park: Coach Carrie Austgen; Fourth state tourney appearance; Seniors Madison Nelson and Erin Edmoundson share the pitching load with 21 and 14 wins, respectively.
Keller: Coach Bryan Poehler; Eighth state tourney appearance; Sophomore Dylann Kaderka has carved out a 28-5 pitching record.
Bowie (Austin) (30-4) vs. Brennan (San Antonio) (29-7), 6 p.m. Friday.
Bowie: Coach Elizabeth Wissel; Fourth state tourney appearance; Senior pitcher Alex McLennan owns a 21-3 record.
Brennan: Coach Ruby de la Garza; First state tourney appearance; Clarissa Hernandez, a senior, is 19-6 in the circle.
Championship game: 6 p.m. Saturday.
