The Wimberley High School Lady Texans went into a third game Monday, May 18, in the softball Regional Finals matchup against Ingleside High School, where they captured the title that is leading them to the State Semifinals later this week.

The Lady Texans initially won game one 2-0 Wednesday, May 13, but fell 4-0 in game two Saturday, May 16. They then were able to jump up to a 1-0 win in the third game of the series Monday night.

Now, they are headed to go up against Liberty High School, beginning Saturday, May 23, according to MaxPreps, with time and location to be determined.

Wimberley Texans make way for Regional Finals

The Wimberley High School Texans baseball team clinched the third game in the series against Sinton High School over the weekend and are now headed to the Regional Finals.

In the Regional Semifinals, the Texans secured a 3-2 win over the Pirates in the Thursday, May 14, game one matchup and then, fell 3-2 during game two. However, they came back with a strong fight in game three for a 5-3 victory Saturday, May 16.

The Texans are now headed to the finals later this week against Floresville High School at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, and Thursday, May 21, at Seguin High School. If a third game is needed, it will be played at 7 p.m. Friday, May 22, at Northeast Sports Park in San Antonio.

DSHS baseball heads to finals

After securing two back-to-back wins against La Joya High School, the Dripping Springs High School baseball team is heading to the Regional Finals later this week.

The best-of-three game series found the Tigers with a 3-2 win Thursday, May 14, and then, again 9-7 Friday, May 15.

Now, the Tigers (27-13-1 overall) are heading to go up against the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Early College High School Bears (29-8 overall) at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, at Gregory Portland High School. If a third game is needed, it will be played at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 23.

Lady Tigers’ season comes to end with 4-2 loss

The Dripping Springs High School Lady Tigers softball team’s season came to an end over the weekend after a hard-fought two-game series against the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Early College High School Bears in the Regional Finals.

While the Lady Tigers fell 3-2 and 4-2, respectively, in the two games held Thursday, May 14, and Friday, May 15,, they leave this year’s program with a 32-8-1 overall record, as well as being 12-0 in district. They also had a 19-game win streak, are undefeated district champs eight times in a row and have had multiple back-to-back appearances in Regional Finals.

“These girls earned every bit of their success. The countless hours, hard work, toughness and commitment never went unnoticed,” read the team’s Facebook page, also adding that seniors Addy Knapp and Elianna Amato are leaving the program with leadership, passion and impact that will be felt long after this season.

Canyon entered the matchup with a 19-10 season record, while the Lady Tigers came in at 32-6-1.

Dripping Springs wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, plating two runs in the opening inning. Canyon answered quickly with a run of its own in the bottom half of the first to set the tone for a competitive playoff battle.

The game remained tight throughout the early innings and after four innings of play the Lady Tigers held a narrow 5-4 advantage. Dripping Springs created some separation in the sixth inning with two key insurance runs that helped secure momentum late in the contest.

The Lady Tigers were led by strong pitching performances from Sadie Bradford, while Tatum Green came in to provide relief and help close out the victory. Defensively, Dripping Springs was sharp throughout the night, holding Canyon scoreless over the final three innings.

At the plate, the Lady Tigers collected 11 hits and committed one error, while Canyon finished with four hits and one error. Two clutch home runs proved to be a major difference in the 7-4 Regional Semifinal victory.

“Canyon is always a tough team,” said head coach Wade Womack. “{Canyon's] coach [Kevin] Randle and I have been coaching against each other for 23 years and it’s always a battle. Fortunately, we came out on top tonight.”

Womack also credited the Lady Tigers’ timely hitting, including the two home runs that helped power Dripping Springs to the win.

With the victory, the Lady Tigers advanced to the UIL Region IV Championship and will travel to Calallen High School Thursday, May 14, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m., to take on Pharr San Juan Alamo Memorial High School, who enters the Regional Final with a 19-14 overall record.

The series opened Thursday, May 7, night at Northeast ISD Field No. 2 in San Antonio, where the Tigers and Broncos battled through an intense pitcher’s duel that stretched into 11 innings. Strong pitching and outstanding defensive play highlighted the contest, but the Broncos managed to escape with a narrow 1-0 victory.

Facing elimination, the Tigers responded in impressive fashion Friday, May 8, night in front of a large home crowd at Dripping Springs High School. The Tigers bounced back with a commanding 7-2 win to even the series and force a decisive game three. Dripping Springs collected seven hits while playing with intensity from the opening pitch.

The winner-take-all finale shifted to Seguin High School Saturday, May 9, and the Tigers wasted little time taking control. Dripping Springs exploded for five runs in the second inning and never looked back. The Tigers added five more runs later in the game to secure a dominant 10-0 victory and clinch the series.

Following the win, head coach Chris Payne praised his team’s determination and resilience throughout the series, including that of Tigers’ pitcher Nixon Padilla.

“It was going to take grit and a burning desire to be successful, whether we were up or down,” Payne said. “Nixon Padilla pitched a great game behind solid defense. It was a complete team effort and really nothing to complain about.”

Dripping Springs now advances to the UIL 6A Division II Region IV Semifinals, where the Tigers will face the La Joya High School Coyotes, who enter the series with an overall record of 30-6 and a district mark of 7-3.

The games will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14, and Friday, May 15, at Calallen High School; if needed, a third game will be played Saturday, May 16.

This follows the Tigers traveling to Cedar Park Thursday, April 30, for game one, where they secured a 9-1 victory.

The Tigers played game two on Friday on a cold and wet night. The rain had stopped earlier in the evening and the game went on as scheduled. The game was close with a 0-0 score going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Tiger Blake Cox pitched another outstanding game and the defense was stellar with only 1 error.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Tigers rallied and put runners in scoring position and had five runs crossing the plate, ultimately winning 5-0 over the Rangers.

After the game, Tiger Jake Pardue said the batter before him was walked with four balls and he knew a fastball was coming and he was going to be ready for the pitch. He also credited his teammates for the support and game winning enthusiasm.

The Tigers will play Brandeis High School at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at Northside Field #2 in San Antonio and then, at 7 p.m. Friday, May 8, at DSHS. If a third game is needed, it will be in Seguin Saturday, May 9.

The Lady Tigers took control early in game one, earning a 10-3 victory. The Panthers mounted a late push with three runs in the top of the sixth inning, but the Tigers responded by turning to Tatum Green to close out the game. Sadie Bradford was credited with the win, while Green secured the save.

Game one, originally scheduled for Friday, May 1, was postponed due to inclement weather and resumed the morning of Saturday, May 2, in Seguin. The Lady Tigers struck first, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the opening inning. O’Connor answered with two runs in the second and the game remained tight throughout.

The Panthers tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning, setting the stage for late-game drama. After holding O’Connor scoreless in the top of the seventh, Lady Tiger’s Emma Phillips smacked a grounder and drove in Morgan Riley for the winning run to secure a 5-4 victory and complete the series sweep.

Green started in the circle for the Lady Tigers, with Bradford entering in relief in the fifth inning to help seal the win.

Following the game, head coach Wade Womack praised both teams’ efforts.

“We just beat a great team and it’s unfortunate we had to meet this early in the playoffs,” Womack said. “It was a close game and we executed when it mattered. We got a crucial bunt down late and Emma Phillips has been making great contact — she came through again and put the ball in play to bring in the winning run.”

With the victory, the Lady Tigers advance to the Regional Semifinals, where they will face the Canyon High School Cougars at 7 p.m. Friday, May 8, at Hays High School.

Tiger senior pitcher Blake Cox delivered a dominant performance, throwing a complete-game no-hitter and recording 11 strikeouts in a commanding 10-0 victory over the Chaparrals. Cox controlled the game from the start and set the tone for a strong finish to district play.

With the win, the Tigers wrapped up the district schedule in second place with a 10-3 district record.

“Blake dominated on the mound and was super efficient all game long,” Tiger head coach Chris Payne said. “The dugout responded well and the student body showed up in force for this rivalry matchup and final district game. That really gave us momentum heading into the playoffs next week.”

The Tigers now advance to the University Interscholastic League 6A Division II playoffs in a best-of-three game series against Vista Ridge High School. Game one will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at Vista Ridge, and game two will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1, at Dripping Springs High School. If needed, a third game will be played at DSHS at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2.

In game one, held Thursday, April 23, the Lady Tigers struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Cedar Ridge responded in the bottom of the second inning with three runs.

After the early setback, Lady Tigers pitcher Sadie Bradford settled in and delivered a strong complete-game performance. Bradford allowed six hits, three walks and recorded eight strikeouts, helping regain momentum for Dripping Springs.

The Lady Tigers offense responded in dominant fashion, producing 13 hits and pulling away for an 11–3 victory.

“We’re going to see everybody’s best now,” Tiger head coach Wade Womack said. “Cedar Ridge is a tough team with some strong hitters, especially after their regional finals run last year. I was very pleased with Sadie Bradford’s performance in the circle and our offense really stepped up tonight.”

The momentum carried into game two on Friday, April 24, back in Cedar Park. Pitcher Tatum Green led another strong effort in the circle, allowing eight hits and two strikeouts, while the Lady Tigers’ defense tightened and surrendered just one run. The offense remained explosive, powering Dripping Springs to an 11-1 win and a decisive two-game sweep of the series.

With the victory, the Lady Tigers advance to the Area round of the UIL playoffs, where they will face the O’Connor High School Panthers, with a 16–0 record.

For the Area round, game one will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at Seguin High School and game two will be at 6 p.m. Friday, May 1, at New Braunfels High School. A third game at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Seguin High School, will be played, if necessary.

The Lady Tigers set the tone early, scoring three runs in the opening inning and maintaining control throughout the contest. They added runs in every inning except the third, never allowing Westlake an opportunity to gain momentum.

With the victory, the Lady Tigers secured their eighth consecutive district championship, continuing one of the area’s most impressive runs of postseason consistency. Dripping Springs will now await the announcement of its bi-district playoff opponent, with the date, time and location still pending at the time of publication.

Following the game, head coach Wade Womack praised both the opponent and his team’s effort.

“Westlake has been playing really well,” Womack said. “They came in with some strong wins over Lake Travis and played us close in the first meeting. Our girls played tough defensively tonight against a top rival.”

The Lady Tigers now shift their focus to the postseason as they prepare for the opening round of the University Interscholastic League playoffs later this week.

First up, the Tigers traveled to Georgetown to take on the Eagles Tuesday, April 14, and lost 6-7.

Back at home for Senior Night, held Friday, April 17, the Tigers baseball team hosted the McCallum Knights in a tightly contested matchup that featured strong pitching and disciplined defense from both teams.

The game developed into a classic pitchers’ duel, with scoring at a premium throughout the evening. McCallum pushed across the game’s only run in the top of the fourth inning and relied on steady pitching and solid defensive play to hold the narrow lead the rest of the way.

Despite the losses, the Tigers remain in strong position in district play. Dripping Springs currently sits in second place with an 8-2 district record, as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Following a press time game against the Westlake High School Chaparrals, which enter the matchup in third place with a 7–3 district record, Tuesday, April 21, the Tigers will return home at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24, to host the Chaparrals, setting up an important late-season district showdown.

On April 10, the Lady Tigers traveled to Del Valle High School for a district matchup against the Cardinals. Dripping Springs scored early and often, building momentum at the plate, while the Cardinals kept the contest competitive throughout. The Lady Tigers ultimately secured the win with a final score of 11-6.

In the circle, Sadie Bradford and Tatum Green turned in strong performances, combining to hold the Cardinals to just seven hits.

The following day, the Lady Tigers traveled to Weiss High School for a nondistrict matchup and earned another victory of 5–3.

The Lady Tigers have now clinched their eighth consecutive district title and will return home for their final district game at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17, against top rival Westlake High School.

Dripping Springs answered quickly, scoring three runs in the first inning and setting the tone early. From there, the Tigers relied on strong pitching and solid defensive play to hold the Cavaliers scoreless for the remainder of the game, securing a 3-0 shutout victory and earning a split in the series.

Tiger pitcher Blake Cox delivered an outstanding performance on the mound, pitching a complete game and allowing just one hit, while keeping the Cavaliers’ offense under control throughout the contest.

After the game, head coach Chris Payne praised Cox’s composure and execution: “Cox pitched a phenomenal game and stayed steady throughout. He kept his emotions in check the entire night until the final pitch. That kind of composure is something you can’t always teach — Blake is a special player.”

With the win, the Tigers improved their district record to 6–2 on the season.

The Tigers faced Del Valle High School at press time April 7 and will play them again Friday, April 10, before taking on Georgetown High School Tuesday, April 14. All games are at 7 p.m.

Anderson struck early, scoring two runs in the first inning, but the Tigers’ pitching staff quickly settled in and the defense tightened up. From that point forward, the Tigers held the Trojans scoreless for the remainder of the game.

The Tigers responded with consistent offense and strong pitching depth to secure a decisive 10–2 victory.

Dripping Springs called on several pitchers throughout the game, with eight Tiger pitchers seeing action on the mound and contributing to the win. Tiger Cade Sanders (No. 3) earned the victory for his performance on the mound.

The Tigers will return to action at home at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2, when they will host the Lake Travis High School Cavaliers.

“Oh man, we had a lot of emotions going into that penalty kickoff,” said head coach Bailee Perrin after the game. “We practice it a lot, but I was telling them it's hard to recreate that feeling, that emotion. When you put so much into not only 80 minutes of soccer, but an additional 20 minutes — so 100 minutes total — and then, it's still tied and you have to go to player kickoffs. You never want it to come down to that, but ultimately, I’m glad we came out on top.”

The Lady Tigers will face Vandegrift High School for the Regional Finals at press time Tuesday, March 31. The winner of that game will advance to the State Semifinals, to be held April 2-4, and face the winner of the Kingwood High School versus Katy Tompkins High School game.

Prior to the Tuesday game, the Tigers beat the Maroons 19-7 Monday, March 16.

Dripping Springs will host Bowie High School at press time Tuesday, March 24, before finishing the series in Austin at 5 p.m. Friday, March 27.

The team’s next home game will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2, when it will face Lake Travis High School.

Westwood entered the contest with a 10-3-2 record, while the Lady Tigers brought an impressive 9-0-2 mark into postseason play. Both teams showcased strong defensive play throughout the first half, keeping the match scoreless heading into halftime.

The Lady Tigers regrouped during the break and came out energized in the second half. Midfielder Isabella Guerrero delivered a pinpoint assist to Bailey Stephenson, who found the back of the net to give the Lady Tigers a 1–0 lead.

Westwood responded with persistence and capitalized on a scoring opportunity later in the half to even the match at 1–1, setting up a tense finish.

With the clock winding down, Guerrero once again created a scoring opportunity, this time assisting Brooke Greenville, who scored what proved to be the game-winning goal. The Lady Tigers’ defense then stepped up in the closing minutes, holding firm against repeated Warrior attacks to preserve the lead.

When the final whistle sounded, the Lady Tigers secured a 2-1 victory and claimed the Bi-District Championship.

Following the match, Lady Tigers head coach Bailey Perrine praised Westwood’s performance, noting they were a very strong and well-prepared team with a clear game plan. Coach Perrine added that the Lady Tigers stayed disciplined, executed their own strategy effectively and, ultimately, earned the win through teamwork and determination.

With the victory, the Lady Tigers advanced to the Area Round of the UIL playoffs, where they faced Sotomayor High School Tuesday, March 24, at Lehnhoff Stadium. However, the results were not available at press time.

The Tigers junior varisty team will return to action March 26, at Johnson High School in Buda, while varsity will attend the Charles Austin Classic at Texas State University March 27.

Dripping Springs dominated both games, winning the opener 18–1 before completing the sweep with a 9–0 victory in game two. The Tigers showcased strong pitching, timely hitting and solid defense to start district competition on a high note.

Last week also marked a major milestone for Tigers head baseball coach Chris Payne, who was recognized for surpassing 400 career victories as head coach of the Dripping Springs High School baseball program.

The Tigers will return to action at home March 24, when they host the Bowie High School Bulldogs, who enter the matchup with a strong 14-4-1 record for the season.

The Lady Tigers set the tone early when Emerson Barefoot found the back of the net in the ninth minute. Carson Thompson added an insurance goal in the 42nd minute to secure the win.

Anchoring the defense was goalkeeper Annabelle Pittman, who delivered another outstanding performance between the posts. The shutout marked the Lady Tigers’ 10th clean sheet in district play this season. With the victory, the Lady Tigers completed district competition with a 10-0-2 record.

Dripping Springs now turns its attention to the postseason, where the Lady Tigers will host the Westwood High School Warriors in a bi-district playoff match at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19. Westwood enters the matchup with a 10-4-2 district record after finishing third in their district.

After four quarters, the game was deadlocked at 8-8, forcing an overtime sudden-death period, with the next goal deciding the winner.

The Bulldogs controlled the opening possession in overtime, but were unable to capitalize against the Tigers’ determined defense. Following the missed opportunity, Dripping Springs regained possession and quickly transitioned down the field against a tough Bowie defense.

With crisp ball movement and a series of pinpoint passes, the Tigers created their opportunity. Tiger Anna Gallagher found space and buried the ball in the back of the net, delivering the dramatic game-winning goal and sealing a 9–8 victory for Dripping Springs.

The Tigers compete in the Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League – Central Division and currently hold a 2-2 record on the season.

Dripping Springs returns to action at home at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, when they will host Westwood High School.

Entering the contest in first place with an 8-0-2 district record and an impressive 14-1-4 overall mark, the Lady Tigers delivered another complete performance. Facing a determined Cavaliers squad that came in ranked second, Dripping Springs relied on disciplined defense and timely offense for the shutout victory.

With the loss, Lake Travis dropped to third place in district play with a 6-2-1 record.

Both teams competed with high energy throughout the match, showcasing strong defensive pressure and aggressive attacking runs. The difference came from the Lady Tigers’ ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, while maintaining a composed and organized back line.

Senior forward Bailey Stephenson turned in a standout performance, scoring both goals for the Lady Tigers. Her relentless effort and precise finishing proved to be the deciding factor in the contest.

Following the match, head coach Bailey Perrine praised her team’s chemistry and growth.

“We’re playing well together and you always hope your team peaks at the right time in the season,” Perrine said. “The girls are very coachable. They made adjustments at halftime and went out and executed.”

The Lady Tigers faced Del Valle High School March 3, though results were unavailable as of press time.

After a bye-week March 6, Dripping Springs will close out the regular season at home at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, against the Westlake High School Chaparrals. Perrine expects the final district matchup to be an exciting and competitive contest.

Hoskovec broke her own school record by more than two seconds with a finals time of 4:54.70 for the bronze medal. She also advanced to the finals in the 200-yard freestyle, finishing eighth in 1:50.55 after setting a new school record of 1:50.53 during the preliminaries.

In relay competition, Hoskovec teamed with Fairlane Bynum, Charlotte Riffel and Izzy Boldrick to place seventh in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:31.01. She also joined Bynum and Riffel, along with Lexi Landrum, to finish eighth in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:36.33.

Dripping Springs placed 14th as a team with 73 points.

Prior to tipoff, the Tigers’ seniors were honored alongside their parents, teammates and members of the Dripping Springs community in recognition of their dedication and hard work throughout the season.

Following the game, head coach Thomas Acker said he was proud of the effort his players showed on the court. He added that, despite the challenges of the season, the team never gave up, continuing to compete and fight in every game.

The Tigers will return four varsity players next season. After a few days of rest, the team is expected to resume workouts and begin preparations for the upcoming year.

Goals were scored by Rachel Darilek, Brook Greenville, Alyssa Creekmore and Isabella Guerrero, while goalkeeper Annabelle Pittman secured the shutout. With the win, the Lady Tigers remain in first place in district play with a 6–0–3 record. The regular season is winding down, with four district games remaining.

Dripping Springs will return home at 7:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, to face the Lake Travis High School Cavaliers, who currently sit in second place with a district record of 5–1–1, setting up a key late season matchup.

Last year, the Tigers finished the season with a record of 32–9 and lost to Kingwood High School in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) 6A State Semifinals. The Tigers are preparing for another run at the UIL State playoffs.

The Tigers will next host the Keith Tuck Memorial Baseball Tournament March 5–7. They will open the tournament against the Hays High School Hawks at 11:30 a.m. March 5.

The tournament featured multiple host sites across the area and included teams from Central Texas, the San Antonio region and the Houston area. With district play approaching, all participating teams used the tournament as preparation for their upcoming schedules.

Last season, the Lady Tigers were crowned district champions with an 11–1 district record and an overall mark of 31–11–1 in University Interscholastic League (UIL) 6A Division competition. Their playoff run ended in the UIL State Semifinals with a loss to Kingwood High School.

The Lady Tigers are off to another strong start this season, currently holding a 10–2–1 record. They will travel this weekend to compete in the Barbers Hill Tournament in Barbers Hill.

Dripping Springs’ next home game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, March 13, when they will host the Del Valle High School Cardinals.