Hailey Golden, Pearland beat Guyer in 6A UIL State Softball Championship comeback

Golden (Texas A&M) and Gutierrez (Sam Houston State) powered Pearland to a 4-2 victory over Denton Guyer in 6A UIL state softball championship

AUSTIN, Texas — With the bases loaded and her team trailing 2-0, right fielder Darian DeLeon stepped into the batter’s box for Pearland.

After falling behind early in the count, she fouled off three pitches from Denton Guyer freshman pitcher Finley Montgomery and worked her way to a full count. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, DeLeon drew a walk to cut the Wildcats’ early lead in half and bring the Oilers’ leadoff hitter to the plate.

Up stepped Pearland’s senior center fielder Hailey Golden — a Texas A&M Aggies signee — who took a first-pitch strike and then squared up the second pitch of her at-bat, slapping a hard-hit RBI single into right field that tied the game and kept the bases loaded with no outs for Pearland.

The Oilers took a 3-2 advantage on a sac fly by left fielder Kaylee Schweitzer in the next at-bat. Pearland’s three-run rally during the bottom of the second inning sparked a comeback Saturday afternoon in the Class 6A UIL Softball State Championship game highlighted by two of the Oilers’ senior standouts: Golden and pitcher Abigail Gutierrez, a Sam Houston State commit.

Together, Golden and Gutierrez led the charge for the Oilers at the plate and in the circle, as Pearland rallied from an early deficit to beat Denton Guyer 4-2 in the 6A UIL state title game at Red & Charline McCombs Field at the University of Texas.

The win marks Pearland’s first Class 6A Texas high school softball state championship since 2010 and represents the Oilers’ third state title in program history.

Golden was voted MVP of the state championship game after finishing 3-for-4 hitting with two RBI and three putouts defensively. Gutierrez, meanwhile, earned the win in the circle for Pearland after throwing for six strikeouts with five hits allowed, two walks and one earned run allowed through 7.0 innings pitched.


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The loss ended Denton Guyer’s (38-2) season after the Wildcats advanced to the 6A UIL state title game for the first time in their program’s history.

Guyer started the year on a 35-game winning streak and reached the UIL Softball State Tournament for the first time since 2010.

Pearland (41-3), meanwhile, finished its 2023 campaign with a perfect 11-0 postseason record and a 21-game winning streak with its victory in the state title game.

The Oilers captured their first Texas high school softball state championship since 2010 and their third Class 6A state title in program history, tying Deer Park (3) for the second most softball state championships in UIL history.

Check out SBLive’s exclusive photo gallery from the Class 6A UIL softball state title game.


PHOTO GALLERY — PEARLAND 4, DENTON GUYER 2

All photos by Andrew McCulloch

Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 1
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 4
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 7
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 10
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 12
Kaylynn Jones set multiple school records in her first year playing for Guyer in 2023.
Photo by Andrew McCulloch
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 16
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 17
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 20
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 21
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 22
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 23
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 24
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 26
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 27
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 29
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 30
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 31
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 40
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 41
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 46
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 50
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 54
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 56
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 58
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 60
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 64
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 66
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 69
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 75
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 78
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 79
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 80
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 81
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 85
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 86
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 87
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 89
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 91
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 92
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 94
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 99
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 95
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 102
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 104
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 105
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 107
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 110
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 113
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 119
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 120
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 124
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 131
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 132
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 133
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 135
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 136
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 137
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 140
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 142
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 143
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 144
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 145
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 146
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 148
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 155
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 156
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 157
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 161
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 163
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 168
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 176
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 181
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 182
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 184
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 185
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 186
Photo by Andrew McCulloch
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 187
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 189
Pearland Denton Guyer 6A UIL state championship Texas softball playoffs 060323 Andrew McCulloch 191

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