KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
June 2, 2019
By Jennifer Miko
Last night, the Katy High School Tiger’s Softball team took home the 2019 State Championship title for the UIL Class 6A conference. The team added to the school's rich legacy with an impressive 8-2 win over Klein Collins.
Photo: Dr. Rick Hull's Twitter @KatyHSPrincipal
Loyal Katy Tigers fans followed the lady's softball team to Austin. They filled the stands at McCombs Field on the University of Texas campus to watch the top teams in the state face off.
As the Tigers advanced through the play-off brackets, the team showed skills and maturity developed under Coach Kalum Haack. Overall, they swept five series and outscored opponents in the playoffs 108-18.
Semifinals Game Changer
Friday night’s semifinal game against number-one ranked Keller proved to be a pitcher’s duel. In six innings, Keller’s Dylann Kaderka (35-4-1) gave up just three hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Katy’s Alyssa LeBlanc gave up four hits, walked two batters and struck out seven, in seven innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, senior catcher Cait Calland took a base after being hit by a pitch. She advanced to second on Chloe Cobb’s sacrifice bunt. Then Calland stole third base. Jacquie Kissamis pinch ran for LeBlanc who Kaderka walked. On a double steal, Calland stole home, scoring the game’s only run.
With a 36-2 record, Katy would meet second-ranked Klein Collins for the state championship. The Tigers hoped to reclaim the title they held back in 2015.
Championship Strategy
Coach Haack said the team needed to concentrate on the short-ball game during this contest. Although the Tigers had logged 50 homers in 37 games, including 17 in the playoffs, offensively they couldn’t take the chance against these tough opponents.
Katy took an early lead Saturday night. During the first two innings of the championship game, Calland and Chloe Woodward put two on the board with short-game plays (pair of sacrifice bunts).
Holiding on to the Lead
In the third inning, Katy’s Calland laid down another bunt for an RBI. A single from LeBlanc drove in another run, making the score 4-0. Katy stretched their lead to 7-0 in the fourth when Sydney Blakeman scored on a double steal (like Calland the night before). Tori Whillock scored on a wild pitch, and Cobb knocked in a run on an RBI single.
The Katy defense held Klein Collins scoreless for four innings. LeBlanc owned the mound, giving up only three hits, with no walks and four strikeouts. In the fifth inning, Klein Collins scored two runs with an RBI walk from Mia Cantu and Renata Boyd's RBI single.
In the bottom of the sixth, Katy’s Whillock scored on an error to make the game 8-2 and Klein Collins could not recover.
Katy won the game, claiming their second championship in the program's history. LeBlanc was selected the game’s MVP, and Katy finished the season 37-2.