The four Dallas-area softball teams that made it to this year's state tournament have one thing in common. Celina, Plano East, Mesquite Poteet and Azle all must find a new starting pitcher next season.
After transferring from Aubrey, senior Kylie Roos went 31-4 and pitched Celina (37-6) to a state runner-up finish in Class 3A. Celina's other seniors – first baseman Shelby Black, shortstop Joey Cronin and third baseman Brittanie Knowles – were members of the only two Celina teams that have made state tournament appearances (the other was in 2006).
"All of those seniors will be tough to replace," Celina coach Billy Coleman said. "The tradition in softball has kind of been set. Hopefully the younger girls will step up. They've got a taste of what it's like to get here and what it takes to get here."
Junior catcher Jasmine San Miguel, who homered in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Needville in the state championship game, will be back. So will four freshmen who started Saturday.
Plano East (23-16-1) loses senior pitcher Taylor Jones, who didn't allow a hit until the eighth inning in a 1-0, 10-inning loss to nationally ranked Spring Branch Smithson Valley in a 5A semifinal. But Plano East will return three freshmen, two sophomores and a junior who started against Smithson Valley, which won the 5A championship.
Mesquite Poteet (35-10-1) says goodbye to pitcher Bradie Baker (31-10) and four other seniors who started in a 1-0 semifinal loss to eventual 4A champion New Braunfels Canyon. But left fielder Jessi Black, who will be Poteet's top returning hitter after batting .367 as a sophomore, can provide inspiration next year. Black overcame having open-heart surgery when she was 9 months old and another surgery when she was in sixth grade because a heart valve wasn't pumping correctly.
Azle must replace senior pitcher Sarah Mendez, who struck out 17 in a 1-0, nine-inning 4A semifinal loss to Angleton. Azle (27-14-2) will return two of its top hitters, Brittany Wilson and Emily Ditmore.
