Waco Midway wins Texas UIL state title a year after heartbreak: Class 6A DI state softball live scoring, recap

Bottom of the lineup for Pantherettes goes 6-for-9 with 5 RBI to win school's 3rd state title

The final game of the 2025 season happens at 4 p.m. at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin. / Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In Class 6A Division 1, Waco 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.

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

TV Broadcast: NFHS, 4 p.m., Saturday; Radio Broadcast: CMC Broadcasting

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.

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.

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

You can also check out other state championship game results from Thursday's games for Class 2A Division I, Class 2A Division II, Class 3A Division I, and Class 3A Division II, or read up on Coahoma making history.

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Lillian Davis with an RBI single to give Midway a 1-0 lead in B1

Amaya Locke with a bases-loaded single up the the middle to score another. On the play, CF Alana Stever throws out a runner at home to catcher Erianna Garcia to end inning. Garcia spikes the ball after the close play at the plate.

After 1, Waco Midway 2, Clear Springs 0

After 2, Waco Midway 2, Clear Springs 0

Strever with RBI single to get Clear Springs on the board;. 2-1 in top of 3rd

Lanae Brown with RBI double and Natalia Hernandez slides in home safely to make it 3-1.

Brown scores from 2nd on an E3. Now 4-1

No. 9-hitter Kallei Alvarado with RBI single. Lead extended to 5-1

An error and bases-loaded walk makes it 7-1; Clear Springs goes to the bullpen. Grace Hirst coming in with bases loaded and 2 outs

After 3, Waco Midway 7, Clear Springs 1

Raelyn Deeger with sac fly for Waco Midway. The lead is now 8-1 in the 4th

After 5, Waco Midway 8, Clear Springs 1

Brown with

After 6, Waco Midway 9, Clear Springs 1

FINAL: Waco Midway 9, Clear Springs 1

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RECAP

Nearly a year to the day of last year’s state title game berth, Waco Midway is headed home from Austin with hardware.

The Pantherettes used a 5-run third inning to buoy themselves to the state title on Saturday, 9-1, against League City Clear Springs.

Despite the lopsided nature of the score, it would be hard to blame the Pantherettes for having nerves with 9 runs going into the 7th inning.

Last year, Midway was up 9-3 against Weslaco and was only three outs away from a state title. Instead, the Pantherettes got only one out and lost on a walkoff grand slam, falling 11-9 on June 1, 2024.

Redemption came Saturday.

This was the third state title for Waco Midway, joining 4A titles won in 1998 and 2010.

The bottom of the lineup did the most damage for the Pantherettes, going 6-for-9 and accounting for 5 of the team’s 7 RBI.

Errors — three by Clear Springs and two on throws to first base — accounted for the other runs scoring.

Designated player was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and 2 doubles. Amaya Locke also added two hits from her No. 7 spot in the lineup. No. 8 hitter Raelyn Deeger was technically 0-for-0 but had an RBI sac fly and two walks.

No. 9 hitter Kaelli Alavardo had an RBI in the 5-run third.

On the mound, Peyton Phillip struck out 11 in the win. She struck out 9 of the 10 batters that came to the plate for Clear Springs. Phillip ended the year with a 20-2 record.

Clear Springs managed 8 hits — one less than Waco Midway.

Alana Strever had 3 of the 8 hits from her leadoff spot. The center fielder also added an outfield assist by throwing a runner out at home. 

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