With the 2026 Texas high school baseball and softball playoffs ramping up statewide, the Big Country’s top high school athletes shined across the Lone Star State last week.
Several athletes had standout performances during last week’s action and have been nominated for this week’s edition of the Abilene Reporter-News’ City National Bank High School Athlete of the Week for May 18-24.
The Reporter-News is taking weekly nominations and will release a list of finalists for the City National Bank Athlete of the Week at the beginning of each week.
Please include statistics from the week’s games and any pertinent information or honors.
Students in all varsity sports are eligible and can only be named Athlete of the Week one time per season, per sport, and athletes from one school cannot win more than three consecutive weeks.
The poll will close at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 30, and the winner will be announced shortly afterward.
Nominations are due by 7 p.m. Saturday and can be submitted through email at sports@reporternews.com or Andrew.McCulloch@reporternews.com.
Take a look at this week’s candidates and cast your vote.
Candidates for the Abilene Reporter-News’ High School Athlete of the Week are listed in alphabetical order below.
Landry Barron, Cross Plains softball
Barron tallied two doubles, two runs scored and one RBI on 3-for-7 hitting during the Lady Buffs’ two-game series against Jonesboro in the state semifinals of the 1A UIL Softball Playoffs.
Emery Doporto, Coahoma softball
Doporto crushed a grand slam to help lift Coahoma to a 13-3 run-rule win against Grand Saline in the state semifinals of the 3A DII UIL Softball Playoffs.
Izabella Frankfort, Cisco softball
Frankfort went 4-for-7 at the plate and recorded one RBI, one run scored, a double, a walk and a stolen base during the Lady Loboes’ two-game series against Bosqueville in the state semifinals of the 2A DI UIL Softball Playoffs.
Colby Garrett, Abilene Wylie baseball
Garrett powered Wylie to a 17-0 win over Argyle in Game 2 of their series in the regional finals of the 5A DII UIL Playoffs, recording one strikeout, eight hits and no walks allowed through five shutout innings on the mound. He was also 5-for-12 at the plate with two doubles and two runs scored for the series offensively.
Addi Hart, Coahoma softball
Hart belted the game-winning home run for the Bulldogettes in their 13-3 victory over Grand Saline in the state semifinals of the 3A DII UIL Softball Playoffs, adding four RBIs, three runs scored, a double and a walk on 2-for-3 hitting.
Isaiah Hutchinson, Hamlin baseball
Hutchinson pitched a gem on the mound to lead Hamlin to a critical 6-0 win in Game 2 of their regional finals series against O’Donnell in the 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs. The Pied Pipers’ standout tossed a complete game shutout, tallying 15 strikeouts, five walks, three hits and two hits-by-pitches in seven scoreless innings. Hutchinson also went 2-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored, five walks and three stolen bases during the two-game series.
Miles McCarty, Abilene Wylie baseball
McCarty racked up five runs scored, three RBIs, four walks and a triple on 3-for-8 hitting during the Bulldogs’ three-game series against Argyle in the regional finals of the 5A DII UIL Baseball Playoffs.
Kenzie McLean, Cross Plains softball
McLean shined in the circle during the Lady Buffs’ two-game series against Jonesboro in the state semifinals of the 1A UIL Softball Playoffs, logging 23 strikeouts, six hits, one walk and one earned run allowed after pitching all 14 innings of the series. She also accounted for two RBIs, two doubles and a run scored on 3-for-8 hitting during the series offensively.
Stryker Reed, Gordon baseball
Reed was 5-for-7 at the plate and racked up five RBIs, two runs scored, two walks, a home run and two stolen bases to help the Longhorns sweep Dodd City in the regional finals of the 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs.
Blakely Rodgers, Coahoma softball
Rodgers blasted a first-inning home run that gave Coahoma the lead during the Bulldogettes’ runaway 13-3 win over Grand Saline in the state semifinals of the 3A DII UIL Softball Playoffs. She recorded three runs scored, two RBIs, a double and a home run on 2-for-3 hitting.
Aiden Shank, Gordon baseball
Shank shined on the mound in both games of Gordon’s series sweep of Dodd City in their two-game regional finals series in the 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs, recording three strikeouts, three walks and three unearned runs allowed through 3⅓ innings pitched. He also tallied three RBIs, three runs scored, a double, three walks and three stolen bases on 0-for-3 hitting offensively during the series.
Luke White, Hamlin baseball
White racked up five RBIs, three runs scored, a triple and a pair of walks on 3-for-7 hitting to lead the Pied Pipers to a two-game sweep of O’Donnell in the regional finals of the 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs.
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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Vote for Big Country Athlete of the Week for May 18-24, presented by City National Bank
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
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