Lake Creek's Kalee Rochinski
Let’s get right into it, shall we?
Here’s the prospectus Regional Semis of the 5A softball playoffs
H-Town 5A Standouts: Sidne Peters (Sr. P)--Santa Fe
Juan De Leon (VYPE)
Barbers Hill Eagles v. Lake Creek Lions
Some of the stars of 2022-23 Barbers Hill Softball
Juan De Leon (VYPE)
2022-23 Regular Season: 32-2/District 17-5A Champions
Head Coach: Aaron Fuller
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 2-1 Series Win (Game 1: L 1-2, Game 2: W 6-2, Game 3: W 14-3) v. Angleton
- Area Round: Series Sweep (Game 1: W 6-5, Game 2: W 1-0) v. Fulshear
- Regional Quarters: 2-1 Series Win (Game 1: L 0-2, Game 2: W 2-1, Game 3: W 11-1) v. Friendswood
2022-23 Regular Season: 34-0/District 21-5A Champions
Head Coach: Michelle Rochinski
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: Series Sweep (Game 1: W 12-0, Game 2:W 11-1) v. Shoemaker
- Area Round: 11-0 Win v. Elgin
- Regional Quarters: 9-0 Win v. Pflugerville
This is the most anticipated series of the postseason thus far, plain and simple.
In one corner, there is a Barbers Hill team that's coming off a statement win against Friendswood.
Despite narrowly being defeated in Game No. 1 against the Mustangs, the Eagles rebutted with a hard-fought win of their own before running away with the series, in a stunning 11-1 clincher.
Senior IF Reagan Duty led Barbers Hill in the final game with five RBIs, while Emma Hargrave (Jr. IF/P), Sophie Naivar (Sr. OF), and junior OF Brookelyn Livanec drove in runs of their to send the Eagles to Round No. 4.
In the other corner, you have the still undefeated Lake Creek (79-game winning streak) who is coming off yet another one-sided victory against Pflugerville.
The Lions were flexing in the Area Round. Reigning State MVP Ava Brown sat down 15 batters on the mound, while Kalee Rochinski (Sr. C), Madalyn Davis (Fr. 2B), and junior OF Carmen Uribe provided the firepower at the plate--highlighted by Rochinski's three-run homer in the first inning.
Lake Creek and Barbers Hill are among the best in the business. The top-shelf pitching battle alone--Ava Brown v. Hailey Nutter--is enough to draw audiences.
Grand Oaks high school will be the venue of what could be the series of the year.
2022-23 Lake Creek Softball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Santa Fe Indians v. Georgetown Eagles
2022-23 Santa Fe Softball
Juan De Leon (VYPE)
Santa Fe Indians
2022-23 Regular Season: 24-5-1/Finished 2nd in District 18-5A
Head Coach: Andrew Whittington
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: Series Sweep (Game 1: W 12-2, Game 2: W 5-3) v. Port Neches-Groves
- Area Round: 10-0 Win v. Terry
- Regional Quarters: 2-1 Series Win (Game 1: L 0-1, Game 2: W 4-2, Game 3: W 4-3) v. Foster
Georgetown Eagles
2022-23 Regular Season: 31-4/District 23-5A Champions
Head Coach: Melissa Hall
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 12-1 Win v. Eastside
- Area Round: 11-1 Win v. Magnolia
- Regional Quarters: Series Sweep (Game 1: W 2-0, Game 2: W 4-1) v. College Station
Santa Fe is quietly emerging as a bona fide contender in the Class 5A race.
They showed their mettle after dropping the opener against Foster, particularly with the series-saving showing made in Game No. 2 by senior Sidne Peters, who batted 3-for-3 with an RBI, while throwing 12 Ks and only letting up two runs.
Others notable performances included that of Mea Slayton (Jr. OF) who drove two runs home in the Indians' 4-2 victory, while seniors Makenna Mitchell (SS) and Brooklyn Spencer (C/3B) provided the consistency at-bat to earn Santa Fe a trip to the Regional Tournament.
Next up for SFHS is a red-hot Georgetown team who have gone undefeated through the playoffs thus far, but with all the speed Santa Fe is picking up, they'll see to it that changes.
