Fort Worth-area softball playoff preview: Top stories, players and teams to watch
The softball playoffs ramp up on Thursday as this week starts the first of six in a row. A few teams have already started playoff runs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
But what about the rest of the Fort Worth-area?
Here are some of the players, teams and stories to watch?
Stories
Can Aledo get back to state?
The Ladycats were 5A state runner-up last season after falling to Barber’s Hill and graduated just two starters. Aledo has a loaded lineup that features seven or eight college commits/signees, which also includes a durable rotation. Aledo, the No. 1 5A area team, has outscored teams by 170 runs this season. Its only two losses came to state semifinalist Rockwall in mid February and a 1-0 loss to Coppell in early March. Aledo has won its last 14 games.
Loaded region
Aledo is in the 5A Region 1 bracket, but the Ladycats are in for some competition. Colleyville Heritage, Burleson Centennial, Justin Northwest, Mansfield Legacy and Richland are all in the top 6 of the final area rankings which should make for some insane second and third round match-ups.
Chasing history
It’s unclear what the DFW home run record is so let’s go with Morgan Holliday last season as the Grandview star had 21. The Dallas area record is Wylie’s Mary Stephens who had 19. Allen’s Sami Hood has 18 this season while Burleson Centennial’s Bailey Lindemuth also has 18. Lindemuth is a two-way star with a 0.593 average, 48 hits and 68 RBI. That’s all in only 30 games. By the way, Lindemuth is just a sophomore.
Teams
Aledo (23-2): The bulk of their team returned and the Ladycats are averaging 8.5 runs per game. Aledo can also go three to four pitchers deep with three of them having six or more wins.
Boswell (26-3): The Pioneers went to the regional semis last season, deepest for any Boswell team, and it looks likely this team returns to that round. The Pioneers finished as the No. 1 6A team in the area.
Colleyville Heritage (25-3): Freshman pitcher McKinley Swaim (17 wins, 2.28 ERA, 114 strikeouts) has led the Panthers during the second half of the season. Heritage is riding a 10-game winning streak and has won 14 of the past 15 games.
Justin Northwest (23-7): The Texans finished runner-up in 6-5A and went to the regional final last season. Northwest has a number of key bats and pitcher Abi Young, who missed the early part of the season, looks back to form.
Burleson Centennial (23-7): The Spartans add another team to an already loaded 5A Region 1 bracket in DFW. Four players are among the area leaders in hits, average, home runs and RBI.
Keller (18-10): The Indians are back as district champs. After going 1-3 to start the month of March, Keller finished the season with a 13-2 record.
Mansfield Lake Ridge (21-6): The Eagles rallied during the final week of the regular season with back-to-back wins over district leading Waco Midway to grab a district title and a No. 1 seed in the 6A Region 2 bracket.
Grandview (27-3): The 3A powerhouse is putting up some big offensive numbers as a team with nearly 350 hits and runs, 32 homers and a 0.467 batting average.
Players
Bailey Lindemuth, Burleson Centennial: As mentioned previously, the sophomore is putting up some crazy stats for the Spartans. Along with her hitting, Lindemuth has 10 wins, a 2.22 ERA and 120 strikeouts.
Tia Warsop/Paris Johnson, Mansfield Lake Ridge: This dynamic duo is 2 and 3 in area hits with 57 and 56. Both are hitting over 0.550 and have a combined 74 stolen bases. The Oklahoma State commit Warsop is first in the area with 40.
Macy Graf, Aledo: The nationally ranked shortstop returns after two months with an injury to give an already loaded lineup another weapon in hitting, defense and speed. In her first game back, the Mississippi State signee led off the Ladycats with an inside the park home run.
Maya Bland, Argyle: The junior star leads the Eagles with 14 homers (second in the area), a 0.528 average and 40 RBI as the team looks for a return trip to the regional finals.
Marissa Powell, Aledo: The reigning all area offensive MVP is leading the Ladycats with a 0.500 average, 40 hits and 35 RBI. She has hit four homers, including two against Dallas area No. 1 6A Prosper.
Catie Amador, Joshua: The sophomore pitcher has helped the Owls to a district title and 1 seed. Amador is second in the area with 229 strikeouts to go along with 12 wins and a 1.54 ERA.
Alli Stidham, Boswell: An all-area player of the year contender, Stidham finished the regular season leading the area with 20 wins, 252 strikeouts and posted a sub 1.00 ERA. She has five no hitters and surpassed 13 or more strikeouts in 10 games.
Morgan Holliday/Faith Goodgion, Grandview: Both are hitting over 0.550 with Holliday sitting at 0.621. They’ve combined for 23 homers, 93 RBI and 107 hits. Holliday is first with 59 hits.
Jacey Power, Alvarado: The Indians won a one-game series on Wednesday as Power threw a no hitter. She has 21 wins on the season along with 42 hits, 52 RBI (second), a sub 2.00 ERA and nearly 200 strikeouts.
Abi Young, Justin Northwest: Last season’s newcomer of the year, Young is back to form after starting the season with an injury. Since, Young has 15 wins, a sub 1.30 ERA and 160 strikeouts. Northwest won its playoff opener against Azle on Wednesday.
DeNae Vasquez-Dickson, Colleyville Heritage: The lead off for the Panthers, DVD is tied for second with 57 hits, is hitting 0.600 with five home runs, 25 RBI, 50 runs scored and 27 stolen bases.
Nicole Stuhr, Timber Creek: Stuhr has already set several program records and comes in with 12 wins and is third in the area with 192 strikeouts.
Jacey Lees, Richland: The sophomore pitcher is tied for third with 19 wins, has a 1.44 ERA and 177 strikeouts.
Lauren Belles, Weatherford: The Kangaroos ace has posted 16 wins, a 1.38 ERA and 134 strikeouts.
Natalie Moreaux/Carly Cox: Pair helped Broncos to a co-district championship and have combined for 98 hits, nearly a 0.600 average and 77 RBI. Moreaux has 10 wins, a 1.02 ERA and 114 strikeouts.