Calallen wins first Texas 4A state softball title, spoils Liberty's three-peat bid

Wildcats rattle ace early, beat the two-time defending champions

Corpus Christi Calallen poured in eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings combined to beat two-time defending champion Liberty for a program-first Texas Class 4A state championship 9-7 on Saturday.

Junior Makenzie Mounts was named MVP of the game after going 2-for-3 with three RBI, including a pivotal two-RBI double to give the Wildcats their first lead in the fourth.

Liberty jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first inning, but Callalen's defense rallied to make plays and keep the Wildcats close for a fourth-inning onslaught.

In the bottom of the fourth, Alaunah Almarez hit a solo shot home run to left field to open the inning to cut Liberty's lead to one. Then Jordyn Thibodeaux singled up the middle and Braelyn Bailey was walked to load the bases, setting up Mounts whose double to right center gave Calallen its first lead at 5-3.

Liberty subbed out sophomore ace Brookelyn Taylor after 3 2/3 innings after the four consecutive earned runs. That left freshman Kylie Bishop in the circle the rest of the way on the biggest stage. 

Liberty put a runner on second and Kylee Bishop up to bat to give Liberty a chance to tie in the top of the seventh inning. But Calallen ace Thibodeaux struck her out, the next batter popped flew out and the Wildcats erupted into celebration.

The Wildcats from Corpus Christi jumped on Liberty sophomore ace Brookelyn Taylor in the fourth inning, rattling off four earned runs, led by a solo home run from Alaunah Almarez to lead off the fifth

Calallen exploded with four runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to build its lead, which was as wide as 9-3 after the fifth inning. 

Liberty got two runs back in the sixth inning and two more in the top of the seventh, but couldn't convert.

Texas (UIL) 4A/5A/6A state softball championship live updates

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Lead photo by Angela Piazza, Caller-Times, USA TODAY NETWORK