Congratulations to the Melissa High School Lady Cardinal Softball team for earning the title of the Texas UIL 5A Softball State Champions! After a long playoff season of victories, the Lady Cardinals played in the UIL 5A Softball State Championship on Saturday, June 1 against the Harlingen South Lady Hawks. The Lady Cardinals earned the title of State Champions with a commanding 8-0 win!
In a thrilling game, several players made standout contributions. Junior Caigan Crabtree was exceptional, hitting two home runs and driving in four RBIs. Sophomore Kennedy Bradley also shined with another two home runs. On the mound, junior Alex Starr delivered an outstanding performance, pitching over five innings, striking out six batters, and not allowing Harlingen South to score a single run. Senior Emily Johnson was impressive in center field, making several amazing catches to support her team’s defense.
The Lady Cardinals concluded their season with an impressive overall record of 38 wins. They secured the top spot in their district, ranked first in the state of Texas, and achieved a national ranking of 13th according to Max Preps.
Additionally, Melissa set a new state record for home runs in a season, finishing with an impressive total of 92 homers. Freshman, Hutton "Lulu" Adrian, also made headlines, becoming the new DFW home run leader with 22 homers in a single season, breaking the previous record of 20. Moreover, five Lady Cardinals players were named to the 2024 UIL Softball State All-Tournament Team.
Congratulations to all these players for their incredible hard work and dedication this season. A huge shoutout to our two seniors, Kassidy Bell and Emily Johnson, for their outstanding achievements on and off the field and their commitment to the Lady Cardinals Softball team. Additionally, congratulations to Head Coach Cassie Crabtree, Coach Morgan Launius, Coach JD Clemmons, Coach Savannah Metts and all the athletic support staff for guiding and pushing these players to make Cardinal history!
Make sure to come out to the Cardinal Community Celebration!
Let's paint the town red in celebration of the Lady Cardinal Softball team's glorious State Champion victory.
Join us on Wednesday, June 5, starting at 7:30-9:00 p.m at the Melissa High School Championship Center. Fans can enjoy a picnic-style tailgate on the lawn before a special presentation begins around 8:00 p.m. Be sure to bring your own food, drinks, and comfy lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved inside the Championship Center. See you there!
Lady Cardinals Softball Team
Seniors: Kassidy Bell, Emily Johnson
Juniors: Caigan Crabtree, Gabby Kuehler, Paisley Needham, Makenna Ramsey, Natalee Smith, Alex Starr
Sophomores: Kennedy Bradley, Emily Mabry, Hattie Winter
Freshmen: Hutton (Lulu) Adrian, Amariee Bradford, Rylee Feagin, Isabell Gonzales, Eloisa Maes, Rihanna Wheeler
Coaches: Cassie Crabtree, JD Clemmons, Morgan Launius, Savannah Metts
2024 UIL Softball State All-Tournament Team (Melissa Players)
MVP: Caigan Crabtree (Jr.)
Pitcher: Alex Starr (Jr.)
Second Base: Amariee Bradford (Fr.)
Third Base: Kennedy Bradley (So.)
Outfield: Emily Johnson (Sr.)