Ganado wins first 2A Division I Texas softball championship in drama-filled comeback; preview, live scoring, recap

Kyla Stancik named MVP after go-ahead 2-run single in top of 7th gives Ganado first lead of game, first state title in program's history

Levi Payton | May 29, 2025

Ganado won its first UIL 2A Division I softball state championship in dramatic comeback fashion on Thursday at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin. / John Gutierrez/Special to American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

As it goes in state championship games - a pair of red-hot teams on double-digit win streaks will square off Thursday at Red & Charline McCombs Field, as Riesel and Ganado are set to meet in the UIL Class 2A Division I state softball championship.

First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Riesel (29-4-1) hasn’t lost since March 7 and enters the title game on a 21-game winning streak. The Lady Indians are 10-0 in the playoffs and have shut out four of those opponents, including a dominant sweep over Clarendon in the semifinals (13-1, 12-2). Senior pitcher-outfielder Kyleigh Benton leads the way with a .495 average and a 26-3 record in the circle. Fellow senior Landri Pick is hitting .446, while junior Sveva Mariotti (.495) has contributed both at the plate and as a secondary arm (3-1 record).

Ganado (32-5-1) is also unbeaten in the postseason at 10-0 and riding a 19-game win streak since a March 21 loss to Shiner. The Maidens responded to that loss by outscoring their next three opponents 46-0 and haven’t slowed down since.

Sophomore catcher Kalyn Benavides is batting .538, while senior infielder Madi Weempe is at .537. In the circle, sophomore Saylor Bures has carried the load with a 29-5 record, supported by junior Kyla Sancik (3-0).

Ganado has allowed just nine runs across 10 playoff games, with double-digit scoring in six of those contests. That includes a 19-2 rout of Corrigan-Camden in the state semifinals. Riesel has scored 10 runs or more in seven playoff games.

In short, no lead is safe with either of these teams at the plate.

Check back here once the game begins for live scoring updates and coverage from the 2A Division I state championship at McCombs Field.

In the meantime, check out our Class 1A-3A previews, as well as previews for 4A, 5A and 6A state championships.

You can also watch the game (fee required) on NFHS Network.

Shiner vs. Sundown: UIL 2A Division II softball championship; preview, live scoring, updates

Starting lineups

Ganado: Laci Holt, RF; Madi Weempe, SS; Kalyn Benavides, C; Kyla Stancik, DP; Faith Palacios, 2B; Raelynn Pena, 3B; Paisley Hajovsky, 1B; Jordyn Bundick, CF; Zoey Ybarra, LF; Saylor Bures, P.

Riesel: Sveva Mariotti, CF; Raizel Chaparro, 1B Landri Pick, SS; Lauren Summers, C; Kyleigh Benton, P; Camdyn Benton, 3B; Kennedy Guardiola, 2B; Addison Cope, LF; Mollee Summers, RF.

Top 1: (Ganado 0, Riesel 0)

Ganado goes down in order in the top of the first. Riesel's Kyleigh Benton got a strikeout to end the frame. It's 0-0.

Bottom 1: (Ganado 0, Riesel 0)

After a quick out, back-to-back walks gives Riesel life. Runners are at first and second with 1 out.

RUN(s) - With two outs, Kyleigh Benton helps herself. The pitcher lines a 2-run single to center - the first hit of the game for either team - and Riesel takes a 2-0 lead.

Saylor Bures gets a strikeout looking to get out of the inning. End 1: Riesel 2, Ganado 0.

Top 2: (Riesel 2, Ganado 0)

Faith Palacios smacks a 1-out double to the wall in left center and the Ganado crowd is fired up.

A big defensive play thwarts Ganado's rally. Riesel third baseman Camdyn Benton stabs a hot-shot line drive near the bag at third to end the inning. She caught it right off the top of the ground. If that ball gets up the line, Ganado runners trade positions and the inning would still be alive. Riesel 2, Ganado 0.

Bottom 2: (Riesel 2, Ganado 0)

Riesel goes down in order. The score is still 2-0.

Top 3: (Riesel 2, Ganado 0)

Kyleigh Benton is really in a groove in the third inning. She gets back-to-back strikeouts to end the 1-2-3 inning. She now has 3 punchouts. To the bottom of the third, it's still 2-0.

Bottom 3: (Riesel 2, Ganado 0)

If Ganado comes back to win this game, remember this half inning and remember the three defensive gems Ganado centerfielder Jordyn Bundick turned in. Riesel began the inning by tattooing two deep drives into the outfield. But Bundick made terrific running catches on both, saving extra bases.

RUN(s) - Those catches were huge, because Georgia Tech commit Landri Pick and catcher Lauren Summers hit back-to-back doubles to make it 3-0.

But with two outs, Bundick made her third defensive web gem of the inning. Kyleigh Benton ripped a single to center, but Bundick fielded the ball and fired a perfect strike to the plate, cutting down Summers at the plate with the third out of the inning. End 3: Riesel 3, Ganado 0.

Top 4: (Riesel 3, Ganado 0)

Ganado wastes a leadoff single by Weempe as Benton continues to deal in the circle. It's still 3-0 headed to the bottom of the fourth.

Bottom 4: (Riesel 3, Ganado 0)

Bures retires Riesel in order in the fourth. Riesel still leads 3-0 headed to the fifth.

Top 5: (Riesel 3, Ganado 0)

RUN(s) - Burdick plunked Raelynn Pena to lead off Ganado's fifth and Paisley Hajovsky rips an RBI double to the wall in center. It's 3-1 and there are no outs. Ganado finally has some life against Burdick.

RUN(s) - Jordyn Bundick does it again. She singles on a bunt and goes to third on two throwing errors. Hajovsky scores on the play and Bundick represents the tying run at third with no outs. It's 3-2.

Huge turning point as the Benton's get Riesel out of the jam. With the tying run at third and nobody out, Kyleigh Benton got a bunt back to herself for the first out, then Camdyn Benton snagged two grounders at third and Ganado fails to push across the tying run. Riesel still leads, 3-2, headed to the bottom of the fifth.

Bottom 5: (Riesel 3, Ganado 2)

Mollee Summers and Sveva Mariotti led off Riesel's fifth with back-to-back singles.

RUN(s) - Landri Pick chopped a 1-out RBI grounder through the left side to score Mollee Summers and Riesel extends its lead to 4-2. Pick has now driven in a run and scored twice.

Bures gets a pop up and a strikeout to escape further damage. End 5: Riesel 4, Ganado 2.

Top 6: (Riesel 4, Ganado 2)

RUN(s) - Kyla Stancik rolled a 1-out single to center for Ganado and Benton issued a rare 2-out walk before Paisley Hajovsky unloaded a 2-out RBI double to right, scoring Stancik to make it 4-3 with runners at second and third.

With her back to the ropes - runners at second and third and two outs - Benton got the break she needed when Riesel's training staff came out to check on her catcher. Lauren Summers. After Summers was determined to be fine and got a quick drink, Benton resettled and struck out Bundick to end the inning and escame the jam. To the bottom of the sixth, Riesel leads 4-3.

Bottom 6: (Riesel 4, Ganado 3)

Camdyn Benton drew a leadoff walk and Addison Cope grounded a 1-out single to left to put runners at first and second for Riesel.

But after a sacrifice bunt by Mollee Summers, Bures got Sveva Mariotti to fly out to the warning track to end the inning. End 6: Riesel 4, Ganado 3.

Top 7: (Riesel 4, Ganado 3)

Kyleigh Benton got a strikeout, her fourth of the game, to lead off the seventh before Laci Holt reached on an infield single with 1 out to give Ganado life.

Madi Weempe followed with a single to left and Kalyn Benavides added to the drama by getting hit with the first pitch of her at-bat to load the bases with 1 out.

RUN(s) - Kyla Stancik delivers a 1-out, go-ahead 2-run single to center on a 1-2 pitch. She gives Ganado its first lead, 5-4.

Riesel has really slowed its tempo with a bunch of timeouts and visits to the circle. Ganado has answered the bell.

After a long at-bat, Benton gets a pop up on the infield for the second out with runners at second and third, then gets a grounder to Pick at short to escape further damage. Now Riesel comes to the plate down to its final outs. Ganado 5, Riesel 4.

Bottom 7: (Ganado 5, Riesel 4)

Bures gets a pop fly to shallow right for the first out.

And then, more drama. Landri Pick drew a 1-out walk, then went to third on a single by Lauren Summers. Summers advanced to second on the throw, putting the tying run at thir dand the go-ahead run at second with 1 out.

But Bures answered the bell, getting a huge strikeout of Kyleigh Benton for the second out and a flyout from Camdyn Benton to end it and clinch Ganado's first state championship, 5-4.

Recap

Despite trailing the entire game, Kyla Stancik delivered a clutch 2-run single in the top of the seventh inning and Saylor Bures escaped a jam, going the distance and picking up the win on the mound as Ganado claimed its first state championship in program history.

Stancik finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBI at the plate, while Paisley Hajovsky went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI and scored a run. Madi Weempe also had two hits in the win, while Laci Holt, Faith Palacios and Jordyn Bundick also had a hit apiece.

Overshadowed, but not to be overlooked, was the tremendous game Bundick had in center field. She saved multiple runs – and a potential big inning for Riesel – when she tracked down two hard hit balls with highlight-reel catches and then threw out a runner at the plate from center on a base hit later in the inning to preserve a run and end the threat, keeping it a 3-0 game.

Bures wobbled at times early, but she seemed to settle in as the game went along. After her team took the lead in the top of the seventh, Bures had to navigate the heart of Riesel’s lineup in the bottom of the seventh and pitched out of multiple high-leverage situations to slam the door. Bures improved to 30-5 with the championship win. She allowed 4 runs on 9 hits with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks in 7 innings.

Landri Pick, Lauren Summers and Kyleigh Benton each had two hits for Riesel, while Sveva Mariotti, Addison Cope and Mollee Summers had a hit apiece. Kyleigh Benton drove in two runs while Pick and Lauren Summers both had an RBI. Benton (26-4) suffered the hard-luck loss despite a fine performance. She dominated most of the way and finished allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk in 7 innings.