For the fifth time in program history, and the first time since 2023, the Santa Gertrudis Academy softball team will play for a UIL state championship.
The Lions swept Kirbyville in a best-of-three Class 3A Division II state semifinal series last weekend to earn a date with three-time defending state champion Coahoma at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 28 at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.
The Bulldogettes were the team that stopped Santa Gertrudis Academy in the championship game in 2023 powered by a late Hannah Wells home run on their way to a 4-2 win.
Santa Gertrudis Academy is looking for the second state championship in school history, to pair with a title in 2018.
Coach Thomas De Los Santos said the 2026 Lions have similarities to some of the teams that have played in Austin before.
“The work ethic and will to compete, and the chemistry might even be a little bit better,” De Los Santos said during the Lions’ playoff run. “We always have good chemistry, but that is our culture. We are never going to keep a bad seed that will ruin everything. They know that coming in.
“The chemistry has been great and they play better.”
Pitcher Lexi Ruiz said the team was hurt when they were eliminated by Jourdanton last season in the regional finals last season and used that as motivation for this year to get the team back to state.
The Lions (40-4) have won 21 consecutive games, gone 9-0 in the postseason and have outscored playoff opponents 85-14.
Here is a look at how Santa Gertrudis Academy got to the Class 3A DII title game and their 2026 roster.
How they got here
Bi-district: Def. George West 12-0, 17-0
Area: Def. Lyford 10-1
Regional semifinals: Def. Poth 13-0; 6-4
Regional final: Def. Jourdanton 9-1; 7-0
State semifinals: Def. Kirbyville 7-6; 4-2
2026 Roster
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Santa Gertrudis Academy softball set to play for state championship
Reporting by Quinton Martinez, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
