AUSTIN, TX — The Coahoma Bulldogettes are one of only two softball programs in Texas to win three consecutive state titles.
On Thursday, they can become the only one to ever win four in a row.
Coahoma plays Kingsville’s Santa Gertrudis Academy at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Class 3A Division II state final at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.
It’s the fifth straight year in the final for Coahoma, which is home to one the great softball dynasties in Texas. Since 1996, the Bulldogettes have reached the state semifinals 15 times, the state final nine times, and they’ve won four state championships.
Last year, Coahoma became the first softball program in Texas to win three straight softball titles, but Corpus Christi Calallen matched the feat the following day.
However, Calallen was knocked out in the state semifinals last week, so Coahoma stands all alone this time in its bid for history.
Despite their remarkable tradition, Coahoma (27-4) has never held the top spot in the state softball rankings this year. The Bulldogettes began the season ranked No. 4 and entered the playoffs at No. 6.
Their pitching staff is led by junior Kyndal Lee and sophomore Bentli Wright, and the team has allowed an average of 5.5 runs per game this season, so there is some vulnerability there.
Yet they’ve countered with an explosive offense that’s scoring nearly 15 runs per contest, so good luck keeping up with them on the scoreboard.
Despite the loss of last year’s National Player of the Year in Hannah Wells — who is now a key member of the University of Texas softball team that begins play in the College World Series on Thursday — Coahoma has continued to be a formidable team.
The Bulldogettes are led by some other powerhouse offensive players like senior Mia Clemmer, who is also headed to UT next season, senior Addi Hart (a .624 hitter with 11 home runs who has signed with UT-Permian Basin) and sophomore Blakely Rodgers (who is hitting .522 with 11 HRs).
Coahoma's softball celebrates after winning its state semifinal against Grand Saline.
Coahoma has met little resistance during its playoff run. The Bulldogettes have been held to under 11 runs only twice, and they still won both of those games — 5-1 against Childress and 6-4 against Wall.
The only team to beat them was Holliday in a 16-12 slugfest, but Coahoma won the other two games in that series 22-18 and 27-11.
They won 13-3 last week over Grand Saline.
Coahoma has had continuity in the form of head coach Alexander Orosco, who has been at the helm the last seven years.
Standing in Coahoma’s way in the state final is Santa Gertrudis Academy, which was ranked No. 10 in the state heading into the playoffs and has won 22 games in a row.
The Lady Lions are 36-3 and haven’t lost since a 7-4 setback to Calallen, so they’ve been tested.
Santa Gertrudis also has some tradition of its own. The Lady Lions won the state title in 2018, and they’ve been to three other state finals — including a 4-2 loss to Coahoma in 2023.
The Coahoma Bulldogettes are one of only two programs in Texas to win three consecutive state titles in softball. On Thursday, they can become the only one to ever win four in a row.
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