Aledo Faces Melissa in State Semi-Final Showdown
The road to the UIL State Championship runs through Denton tonight as the Aledo Ladycats battle the Melissa Cardinals in a one-game winner-take-all State Semi-Final matchup.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:30pm, with the NTX Varsity Sports pregame show beginning at 6:15pm. Fans can listen to the LIVE audio broadcast embedded below from the Hiley Mazda Broadcast Table.
Aledo enters tonight with a 30-10 overall record after another dominant postseason run through the Region I bracket. The Ladycats swept through district play at 12-0, capturing their sixth consecutive district championship while extending their remarkable district winning streak to 66 straight games.
The playoff journey has only strengthened the momentum surrounding this Aledo team.
After surviving a three-game Bi-District series against Birdville, the Ladycats exploded offensively in the Area Round with a 17-0 win over Paschal before handling Lubbock Monterey in two games during the Regional Semi-Finals. Aledo then delivered perhaps its most complete performance of the season in the Regional Final, defeating Abilene 13-0 to punch its ticket to the State Semi-Finals.
Offensively, Aledo has been powered by one of the deepest lineups in 5A softball.
Pawlak leads the Ladycats with a .423 batting average and 40 RBIs, while Mayer has delivered 10 home runs and a .872 slugging percentage. Rosser has added a .553 on-base percentage and 58 runs scored this season.
Inside the circle, Perry has emerged as a major postseason weapon, posting a 2.01 ERA with 91 strikeouts across nearly 98 innings pitched this season.
Standing across from the Ladycats is one of the most dangerous teams in Texas.
Melissa enters tonight 33-2 overall and undefeated in district play at 14-0. The Cardinals have dominated opponents throughout the postseason, outscoring playoff opponents at an incredible rate while carrying a team batting average of .415 with 98 home runs on the season.
The Melissa lineup features multiple elite power hitters, including Williams, who is batting .604 with 22 home runs and 71 RBIs, alongside Bradley’s 21 home runs and Adrian’s 18 home runs.
Melissa pitcher Maes has been equally dominant in the circle, entering the game with a 1.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched.
These two programs are no strangers to each other either.
Melissa defeated Aledo 5-0 earlier this season in non-district play back on February 26 in Melissa.
Now, months later, everything is on the line.
One game. One ticket to the UIL State Championship. Two of the best softball programs in Texas meeting under the lights with a chance to continue the dream season.
Listen LIVE to tonight’s State Semi-Final showdown right here on NTX Varsity Sports.