High School

2023 Texas high school softball playoffs: Class 5A UIL State Softball Tournament preview

SBLive takes a closer look at the state title picture heading into the Class 5A UIL State Softball Tournament (May 30-June 3)

Andrew McCulloch

After a rollercoaster of a regular season and five wild weeks of postseason action across the Lone Star State, the top teams in the 2023 Texas high school softball playoffs have reached the end of the road on their quest to capture a state title: the 2023 UIL Softball State Tournament.

For five days at the University of Texas’ Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin, the state’s best players and most elite Class 1A-6A squads will compete for an elusive UIL state championship during the sixth and seventh rounds of the 2023 Texas high school softball playoffs.

After kicking off Day 4 of state tournament action early on Friday, June 2nd, the Lone Star State’s top teams in Class 5A will collide in the UIL state title game at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 3rd, to crown a state champion.

Here’s a closer look at all four teams — the Colleyville Heritage Panthers, Frisco Heritage Coyotes, Montgomery Lake Creek Lions and New Braunfels Canyon Cougarettes — that will be vying for the 5A state championship during the 2023 UIL Softball State Tournament (May 30-June 3).

2023 TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS — CLASS 5A UIL STATE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

Editor’s Note: Click on individual matchups to access SBLive's 'Pick 'Em' feature and vote for the teams that you think will win their UIL state tournament matchups in the 2023 Texas high school softball playoffs.

Class 5A state semifinals:

W21 Montgomery Lake Creek Lions (42-1) vs. W10 Frisco Heritage Coyotes (34-3-1), 10 a.m. on Friday, June 2nd, at Red & Charline McCombs Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin

W26 New Braunfels Canyon Cougarettes (31-0) vs. R7 Colleyville Heritage Panthers (37-7), 1 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd, at Red & Charline McCombs Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin

Class 5A state title game:

TBD vs. TBD, 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 3rd, at Red & Charline McCombs Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin

COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE PANTHERS

Record: 37-7 overall, 11-3 in District 7-5A

How They Got Here: 9-1 postseason record, Region I-5A champs

  • Bi-district round — W 5-2, W 9-4 vs. Joshua
  • Area round — W 23-0 vs. Fort Worth Brewer
  • Regional quarterfinals — W 5-3, W 3-0 vs. Richland
  • Regional semifinals — W 4-2, W 9-6 vs. El Paso Hanks
  • Regional finals — W 6-0, L 6-4, W 1-0 vs. Justin Northwest

Offense: 8.4 runs scored per game

Defense: 2.3 runs allowed per game

Head Coach: Allison Conaway (10th season)

Players to Watch: Senior CF DeNae Vasquez-Dickinson (.477 AVG), Senior C/1B Alexis Perales (.439 AVG), Junior P/DH Lindsey McConnell (24-6 record; .231 AVG), Sophomore 2B/CF Luna Flores (.414 AVG), Senior SS/3B Nia Sisneros (.400 AVG), Senior RF Karine Morrison (.328 AVG), Senior 2B/LF Leah Perales (.326 AVG)

UIL State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Two (1998)

UIL Softball State Championships (Most Recent): Seeking first UIL state title in program history

Distance to Red & Charline McCombs Field: 206 miles

FRISCO HERITAGE COYOTES

Record: 34-3-1 overall, 10-0 in District 10-5A

How They Got Here: 8-2 postseason record, Region II-5A champs

  • Bi-district round — W 2-1, L 6-5, W 3-2 vs. The Colony
  • Area round — W 3-0, W 18-0 vs. Mesquite Poteet
  • Regional quarterfinals — L 2-1, W 2-0, W 2-0 vs. Frisco Wakeland
  • Regional semifinals — W 1-0 vs. Melissa
  • Regional finals — W 1-0 vs. Frisco Lone Star

Offense: 7.6 runs scored per game

Defense: 1.1 runs allowed per game

Head Coach: Tim O’Brien (8th season)

Players to Watch: Senior P Jensin Hall (25-2 record; .500 AVG), Freshman P/3B Samantha Riley (8-1 record; .413 AVG), Sophomore INF Kaira Netzel (.538 AVG), Junior SS Ahna VanMeter (.419 AVG), Senior C Kailey Sweezey (.306 AVG)

UIL State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Making first UIL Softball State Tournament appearance in school history

UIL Softball State Championships (Most Recent): None

Distance to Red & Charline McCombs Field: 228 miles

MONTGOMERY LAKE CREEK LIONS

Record: 42-1 overall, 14-0 in District 21-5A

How They Got Here: 8-1 postseason record, Region III-5A champs

  • Bi-district round — W 12-0, W 11-1 vs. Killeen Shoemaker
  • Area round — W 11-0 vs. Elgin
  • Regional quarterfinals — W 9-0 vs. Pflugerville
  • Regional semifinals — W 1-0, W 5-3 in 11 innings vs. Mt. Belvieu Barbers Hill
  • Regional finals — W 2-1 in 8 innings, L 8-2, W 3-2 in 8 innings vs. Georgetown

Offense: 8.9 runs scored per game

Defense: 1.3 runs allowed per game

Head Coach: Michelle Rochinski (5th season)

Players to Watch: Senior SS Maddie McKee (.542 AVG), Senior P/1B Ava Brown (25-0 record; .500 AVG), Junior CF Carmen Uribe (.557 AVG), Senior C Kalee Rochinski (.396 AVG), Senior OF Jolie Bazan (.370 AVG), Freshman 2B/C Madalyn Davis (.511 AVG), Senior DH/OF Peyton Bauer (.406 AVG), Junior LF Piper White (.462 AVG)

UIL State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Two (2022)

UIL Softball State Championships (Most Recent): One (2022)

Distance to Red & Charline McCombs Field: 143 miles

NEW BRAUNFELS CANYON COUGARETTES

Record: 31-0 overall, 14-0 in District 26-5A

How They Got Here: 7-0 postseason record, Region IV-5A champs

  • Bi-district round — W 5-2, W 13-12 vs. Leander
  • Area round — W 10-0 vs. Alamo Heights
  • Regional quarterfinals — W 3-2 vs. Liberty Hill
  • Regional semifinals — W 8-1 vs. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff
  • Regional finals — W 10-0, W 4-1 vs. Smithson Valley

Offense: 8.5 runs scored per game

Defense: 1.2 runs allowed per game

Head Coach: Kevin Randle (16th season)

Players to Watch: Senior P/2B Haley Carmona (29-0 record; .350 AVG), Junior CF Harley Vestal (.360 AVG), Junior C Dee Dee Baldwin (.360 AVG), Senior 1B Sabrina Servantes (.350 AVG), Sophomore OF Markaylee Maldonado (.325 AVG), Junior SS Riley Hester (.325 AVG)

UIL State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Five (2019)

UIL Softball State Championships (Most Recent): One (2019)

Distance to Red & Charline McCombs Field: 47 miles

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Andrew McCulloch
ANDREW MCCULLOCH

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