VYPE Player of the Game Katy Schaefer had 2 hits, 2 runs, 3 RBIs & a walk-off home run in Klein Collins softball’s 11-1 state semifinal win against New Braunfels Canyon.
Tigers advance after 5-inning affair.
The Tigers had consistently ranked among the state’s top-10 programs and entered the matchup with high expectations. Early on, they looked the part, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Clear Springs answered with a run of their own, only for Katy to extend the margin to 4-1 by the fourth.
But the Chargers never blinked.
By the bottom of the sixth, Clear Springs had clawed back to tie the game 4-4. Katy responded in the top of the seventh, reclaiming the lead at 5-4.
With two runners on and just one out left, Clear Springs needed a spark.
They got it — in dramatic fashion.
Senior Eryn Polite stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch three-run walk-off home run, sealing a stunning 7-5 victory and completing the team’s remarkable comeback.
“I was just looking for my pitch,” said Polite. “I trained all week for it. I was just ready at that moment — ready to swing for my team, and I’m just grateful it worked out for us in the end.”
With the win, Clear Springs improved to 22-6 and advanced to the 6A-D1 Region III Final — the deepest playoff run for the program since 2021, when they made it five rounds deep.
Head Coach Jennifer Knight was beaming after the game.
“I have no words to describe what just happened,” Knight said. “I’m just so proud of them and the fight that they had. She (Polite) has just been hitting the ball so well lately. We always have a chance when she’s at the plate — and that’s all I know.”
Next up: Clear Springs will face Atascocita later this week for a spot in the UIL State Tournament — a milestone the Chargers have never reached.
If recent performances are any indication, this next series could be another classic.
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