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PACKED HOUSE: Melissa softball continues strong in the playoffs
At Frisco Emerson's softball field on Wednesday evening, you might have thought you made the trek to Melissa instead. With a packed crowd, the team fought for a 2-0 victory over Frisco Wakeland in game one of the regional semifinal round of 5A softball playoffs. VYPE DFW takes a look at the team so far:
With only two losses on the season-- one in non-district play and one in district play-- the Melissa Lady Cardinals have put on a show for their fans this year. Posting several dominant victories in non-district play over the likes of Waxahachie (18-0), Aledo (11-2), Crandall (21-0), Plano East (16-0), Frisco Lone Star (10-0), and more, it was obvious that the Lady Cardinals were bringing something special to the diamond this season.
As the team entered district play, they continued to power over their opponents. Led by Caigan Crabtree, Kennedy Bradley, Lulu Adrian, Amariee Bradford, Emily Johnson, Eloisa Maes, Alex Starr, and other talented athletes, the team showed impressive poise through each game as they secured a first-place finish in their district standings with an 11-1 district record. Melissa's demanding presence on the field and at the plate powered the team to impressive shutout victories including those over Bullard (6-0), Greenville (11-0), Sherman (9-0), Denison (17-0), McKinney North (15-0), and more en route to the playoffs.
Once in the playoffs, Melissa sent home Ennis (15-0) and Huntsville (5-1) before defeating Kingwood Park (7-6, 3-2) in a two-game series last week. This week, their regional semifinal round against Frisco Wakeland began with a bang and a packed house as the team posted a 2-0 victory on Wednesday night:
Standing room only for the @SoftballMelissa vs. @WHSoftball Regional Semi-Final Game. pic.twitter.com/tIJaoKLmBn
— Dr. M•A•C (@iyhiamac) May 15, 2024
With resilience and a tenacity to continue driving forward, fans can expect this Melissa squad to continue on their mission to secure their spot in the next round of the playoffs. Be sure you head out to Frisco Emerson to catch these ladies in action as they take on Frisco Wakeland at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16th!
Inaugural Greatness: Walnut Grove softball continues to reign
In their inaugural season, the Walnut Grove Lady Wildcats have more than proven their ability to hang with some of the toughest teams in the area. As Walnut Grove prepares for a Regional Semifinal match-up against another DFW-area powerhouse team, VYPE DFW takes a look into their season so far:
Three-- the number of games a brand new softball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has lost this season. Boasting a 37-3 overall record (14-0 in district play), the Lady Wildcats came out of the wood works ready to not only make waves, but make a name for themselves in Texas high school softball. It's safe to say that the team has more than made a name for themselves with countless victories over talented area opponents; outscoring their opponents this season by a combined 285 runs.
Ella Berlage, Lyndsey Hooker, Kailee James, EB Bobbitt, Camila Spriggs, Lauren Robinson, Naomi Redman, Jeslyn Burghardt, Penelope Robles, and other talented athletes have been huge keys to the Lady Wildcats' success this season. From the beginning, the team knew they had eyes watching them as the newest softball team in the area, but not once did they waver.
Opening their season with an 8-2 victory over Lovejoy showcased the team's ability to head into a game against a strong opponent without fear. The team continued strong with several non-district victories including over the likes of MacArthur (16-0), Midlothian (6-5), Denton Guyer (3-1) Sherman (10-5), another over Lovejoy (2-1), Hebron (10-3), and more en route to district play. Once in district, the team took down every opponent in a dominating fashion including victories over Frisco Emerson (16-1), Frisco Independence (16-0), Lebanon Trail (13-0), and more.
Without hesitation, the team took to the playoffs as though they were local favorites and veterans to the playoffs. With a two-game victory over The Colony (6-0, 3-2) to make their playoff debut, the team has not taken a single second to look back as they advanced this far with victories over Wes Mesquite (12-0, 11-0), and a three-game thriller over Frisco Lone Star last week in which they won the first game 10-0, dropped the second game 6-4, then won game three by a score of 9-3.
Forney is the next team on Walnut Grove's radar and the Lady Jackrabbits will be no easy feat for Walnut Grove. The team is 36-2-3 on the season (12-0 in district play) and hungry for continued success in the playoffs. As Walnut Grove looks to continue making waves with the goal of making it to the state tournament in their inaugural season, Lady Wildcat fans can expect to continue to see focused play and a fast-paced readiness from this squad. The series begins on Thursday, May 16th at Plano East High School with the first pitch set for 7 p.m.