3A DII State Champs: Santa Gertrudis Academy
admin | May 29th, 2026
AUSTIN — Santa Gertrudis Academy has long been one of the premier softball programs in South Texas.
On Thursday night at Red & Charline McCombs Field, the Lady Lions added another championship trophy to their proud tradition.
Powered by a dominant offensive performance and a huge night from State Championship Game MVP K’Lee Bazan, Santa Gertrudis Academy rolled past Coahoma 8-1 to capture the UIL Class 3A Division II State Championship and cap a remarkable 41-4 season.
The title was the culmination of a season filled with expectations for the Kingsville-based powerhouse. The Lady Lions entered the state tournament as one of the most complete teams in Texas, boasting a dangerous lineup, experienced leadership, and a pitching staff capable of shutting down elite opponents.
Against Coahoma, they showcased all of it.
For three innings, the championship game remained scoreless as Coahoma ace Kyndal Lee and Santa Gertrudis Academy starter Alexia Ruiz traded zeros. Both teams had opportunities, but neither could find the breakthrough hit.
That changed in the fourth inning when Bazan stepped to the plate.
The senior catcher crushed a solo home run to deep left field, sending the Santa Gertrudis Academy crowd into celebration and giving the Lady Lions a 1-0 lead. It would prove to be the first of several momentum-changing swings by the MVP.
While the home run gave SGA the lead, the fifth inning effectively decided the championship.
Cami Recio and Alexia Ruiz reached base to start the rally before Hailey Ortega drilled a two-run double into the right-center field gap. Moments later, Bazan delivered again, lining a two-run single up the middle to score Ortega and Mika Munoz and stretch the lead to 5-0.
The Lady Lions never looked back.
Ortega continued her incredible night in the sixth inning, driving home another run with her third double of the game. Coahoma answered with an RBI double from Emery Doporto in the bottom half of the inning, but Santa Gertrudis Academy immediately responded.
In the seventh, Adelyn Lopez ripped an RBI double down the left-field line before D’Andra Fernandez added an RBI double of her own to push the lead to 8-1 and put the finishing touches on a championship performance.
The offensive numbers were staggering.
Santa Gertrudis Academy pounded out 16 hits, hit .444 as a team, and went 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The Lady Lions recorded six extra-base hits and consistently put pressure on the Coahoma pitching staff throughout the night.
Bazan led the charge with a perfect 4-for-4 night that included a home run, three RBIs, and a run scored. Ortega matched her impact, finishing 3-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs. Recio collected two hits and scored twice, while Arabella DeLeon added two hits and a run scored.
The Lady Lions were equally impressive inside the circle.
Sophomore Alexia Ruiz earned the victory after allowing just one run on three hits across 5.1 innings while striking out five. When Coahoma threatened late, Fernandez came on in relief and slammed the door, tossing 1.2 hitless innings with two strikeouts to secure the championship.
Coahoma, making its first appearance in a state championship game, finished an outstanding season with a 27-5 record. The Bulldogettes battled throughout the postseason and reached Austin behind a resilient group that captured the attention of softball fans across West Texas. Emery Doporto drove in Coahoma’s lone run, while Mia Clemmer and Bentli Wright accounted for the team’s other hits.
But this night belonged to Santa Gertrudis Academy.
From Bazan’s fourth-inning blast to the relentless offensive attack that followed, the Lady Lions looked every bit like a championship team. They finished the season with 41 victories, an overwhelming state championship performance, and another title trophy headed back to Kingsville.
For a program already rich in tradition, Thursday night served as another reminder of why Santa Gertrudis Academy remains one of the standard-bearers of Texas high school softball.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | ||
| Santa Gertrudis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 1 | |
| Coahoma | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
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Top Performers
Santa Gertrudis Academy
• K’Lee Bazan (State Championship Game MVP): 4-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 1 run scored
• Hailey Ortega: 3-for-4, 3 doubles, 3 RBI
• Cami Recio: 2-for-4, 2 runs scored
• Alexia Ruiz: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 K
• D’Andra Fernandez: 1-for-1, RBI double; 1.2 scoreless innings in relief
Coahoma
• Emery Doporto: RBI double
• Mia Clemmer: Double
• Bentli Wright: 1-for-3
