Texas high school softball: UIL Class 6A state championship matchups set; previews, key players, how to watch

Waco Midway, Clear Springs, Kingwood and Forney clash with Texas high school softball titles on the line at the 6A level this weekend

Forney's Cailey Slade (2) rounds third base after one of the two home runs she hit in a 13-6 win over Longview on Apr. 7, 2025. A two-way star, Slade is one of the key players on a Lady Jackrabbits squad that's 34-2-1 and playing for the 6A Division 2 state championship this weekend. / Wayne Grubbs

The final weekend of the Texas high school softball season has arrived, and the UIL Class 6A state tournament will crown two champions Saturday on Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.

Waco Midway, Clear Springs, Kingwood and Forney will each look to finish the job in their respective 6A brackets. All four programs took different paths to reach this point, but each enters the championship round with plenty of momentum and firepower.

In Class 6A Division 1, Midway is back on the state stage for the 12th time and is chasing its third championship. The Pantherettes were tested in the semifinals but delivered in the clutch, rallying from a four-run deficit to eliminate Flower Mound. Sophomore Peyton Philipp and freshman Kaitlyn Lowe have been steady in the circle, and Midway's lineup has found ways to deliver late in close games.

Clear Springs is in the 6A state tournament for the first time and has made the most of the opportunity. The Lady Chargers weathered a high-scoring regional final and picked up a pair of 1-run wins in the state semis to advance. The heart of their order - led by freshman slugger Makenzie Thomas and senior catcher Erianna Garcia - has come up big in key moments all postseason.

In Division 2, Kingwood has been one of the state’s hottest teams down the stretch. The Lady Mustangs have won 10 in a row since a regular season loss to Summer Creek and are unbeaten in the playoffs. Their pitching staff has allowed just 14 runs in nine playoff games, and their offense has produced plenty to advance.

Forney, the 2018 state champion, brings one of the most complete resumes in the field. The Lady Jackrabbits have outscored opponents 366-69 this year and showed plenty of grit in their semifinal series against Guyer. After dropping Game 1, they got clutch homers from Ryann Harris and Cailey Slade to win the next two and punch their ticket to the final.

Follow High School on SI - Texas for complete coverage of the UIL Texas high school softball state championships, including scores, highlights, and player updates throughout the weekend.

You can also watch the games live on NFHS Network.

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2025 UIL Texas Class 6A softball state championship previews, key players, keys to watch

At Red & Charline McCombs Field (Austin)

Class 6A Division 1

Waco Midway (31-3) vs. League City Clear Springs (27-7)

Date: Saturday, May 31

Time: 4 p.m.

About Midway

Playoff record: 9-1

Key players: Peyton Philipp (P/OF, soph.) .405 / 19-2; Jayden Sadler (1B, sr.) .474; Camryn Carter (LF/P) .471; Harper Haas (OF, sr.) .424; Lillian Davis (C, soph.) .386; Kaitlyn Lowe (P, fr.) 10-0; Lanee Brown (3B/P/UTIL) .404 / 1-0.

How they got here: The Pantherettes closed the regular season on a 14-game winning streak and had won 21 straight before losing Game 1 of their state semifinals series to Lewisville Flower Mound, 5-2. They bounced back with a 6-0 win in Game 2 and then rallied from a 5-1 deficit in Game 3 with five runs in the fifth inning and held on for a thrilling 7-6 series-clinching win. That loss tied for the most runs the Pantherettes had allowed all season, as they’d only allowed five runs two other times – both were wins. They only lost twice in the regular season, and both were 1-0 losses (to Waco Melissa and Wolfforth Frenship). … They began these playoffs by walloping Waxahachie 14-1 and 22-5 in a first-round sweep, then beat Rockwall 3-0 when Lanee Brown smashed a 3-run double in the top of the ninth inning in their 1-game area playoff. Midway followed that up with third and fourth-round sweeps, respectively, of Conroe Oak Ridge (10-4, 5-2) and Conroe (5-4, 1-0). … Midway is seeking its third state title in program history in its 12th tournament appearance.

About Clear Springs

Playoff record: 9-1

Key players: Makenzie Thomas (SS, fr.) .379, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 15 home runs, 44 RBI, 44 runs, 12 stolen bases; Erianna Garcia (C, sr.) .486, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 10 home runs, 46 RBI; Eryn Polite (3B, sr.) .382, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 31 RBI, 29 runs; Alana Strever (OF, jr.) .444, 17 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 25 RBI, 42 runs, 16 stolen bases; Jenna Hashaw (P, sr.) 18-4, 3.34 ERA, 151 hits, 97 runs (57 earned), 76 strikeouts, 67 walks in 119.1 innings; Grace Hirst (P, sr.) 8-3, 3.30 ERA, 84 hits, 56 runs (41 earned), 58 strikeouts, 59 walks in 87 innings.

How they got here: The Lady Chargers began first half 13-2 and then closed out the regular season on a 5-4 stretch. They got back to their winning ways in these playoffs, sweeping Humble Summer Creek (9-4, 12-5) and Pasadena Dobie (10-3, 8-3) before knocking off Katy in a 7-5 thriller in the third round. … After beating Humble Atascocita 9-4 to begin the regional finals, they dropped a 13-11 heartbreaker in Game 2, only to rebound with a 5-2 win in the decisive Game 3. They swept San Antonio East Central 8-7 and 5-4 in the final four. … This is the Lady Chargers’ first state tournament appearance.

Keys to watch

Midway’s pitching depth and ability to limit damage late in games has been a difference-maker all postseason, as Peyton Phillipp (19-2) and freshman Kaitlyn Lowe (10-0) have handled some big moments, and Lanee Brown has come through, both at the plate and in the circle. … Clear Springs has leaned on big swings from the middle of its lineup to change momentum in close games, with Makenzie Thomas (15 home runs), Erianna Garcia (.486, 46 RBI) and Alana Strever (17 doubles, 42 runs) leading the way. … Whichever staff handles pressure better in the circle likely decides this one, especially with both teams proving they can rally late to win close games.

Class 6A Division 2

Humble Kingwood (33-4-1) vs. Forney (34-2-1)

Date: Sat. May 30

Time: 1 p.m.

About Kingwood

Playoff record: 9-0

Key players: Hunter Quentel (P/UTIL) .462 / 17-3; Mia Gagliardi (C/3B, sr.) .442; Addyson Sheppard (SS/UTIL, sr.) .459; Lyndsie Gilman (P, jr.) 5-0; Leilani Garcia (2B/SS, sr.) .451; Hunter Quentel (P/UTIL, soph.) .462; Samantha Trezecki (DH/C, fr.) .317; Kendall Yates (1B/P) .316 / 2-1; Frei Pizarro (P/3B, jr.) .286 / 9-0.

How they got here: Any time the Lady Mustangs have lost a game this season, a lengthy winning streak has followed. So perhaps their late-season loss to Humble Summer Creek (6-3) with two games left in the regular season was just what they needed for this playoff run. They haven’t lost since – winning 10 games in a row, including all nine in the postseason. … Kingwood has allowed 14 runs in nine postseason games. The Lady Mustangs beat Clute Brazoswood (4-2, 7-1) in the first round, Manvel (17-0) in the area championship and swept Katy Jordan (6-2, 2-0) in the third round. They bested League City Clear Creek (5-2, 8-1) to sweep their region championship and ended Dripping Springs’ season in the final four with wins of 7-1 and 16-6. … This is Kingwood’s fifth trip to the state tournament and a win would be the program’s first state championship.

About Forney

Playoff record: 8-1

Key players: Cailey Slade (P/1B, sr.) .479 / 17-0; Emmit Santos (P/OF, soph.) .333 / 17-2; Eva Daniels (SS/2B, sr.) .462; Emma Boren (2B/SS, sr.) .409; Ryann Harris (C/3B, fr.) .388; Domiana English (3B/LF, soph.) .397; Ashlyn Oscar (1B/UTIL, sr.) .429; Maddy Dickey (CF/SS, sr.) .389; Juliana Tamburine (LF/2B, soph.) .388.

How they got here: The Lady Jackrabbits won the program’s only state championship back in 2018 and now a new group is back for more. Speaking of the new group, their first collective trip to the state tournament has been a productive one. They’ve outscored opponents 366-69 in 2025, including 65-15 in the postseason. … They began the regular season 16-0-1 – their only blemish a 4-4 tie with Keller – and suffered their only loss against Royse City (1-0). They closed the regular season with 10 wins and won six more to start the postseason before losing to Denton Guyer (5-1) in Game 1 of the state semifinals. … They began the postseason by sweeping Garland (16-0, 8-0) and then took down Copperas Cove (16-3) in the area championship. After sweeping Langham Creek (5-1, 6-0), the Lady Jackrabbits beat Tomball 4-1 in the regional finals. … Following their semifinal loss to Guyer, Forney got a 3-run home run from freshman Ryann Harris and made the lead stick in a 3-2 win, forcing a decisive Game 3. … More late-game heroics brewed in Game 3, as Cailey Slade – who also pitched 4 innings in the game – smacked a 3-run inside-the-park home run in the top of the eighth inning and Forney held on for a 6-3 win to advance to the finals.

Keys to watch

Both teams have been steady in the circle and explosive at the plate, so this one likely comes down to who can string together quality at-bats – especially late. … Kingwood has held opponents to just 14 runs through nine playoff games and is riding a lengthy winning streak. … Forney’s only playoff loss came in the state semifinals, but timely home runs from Ryann Harris and Cailey Slade kept the season alive. … Slade and Santos have combined to go 34-2 in the circle, while Kingwood’s staff of Quentel, Gilman and Pizarro are unbeaten this postseason. … Whichever staff handles pressure better down the stretch could decide who takes home the trophy.

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