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High School Softball: No. 1 ranked Melissa falls in UIL playoffs

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo05/21/26Andy_Villamarzo

The top high school softball program in the nation has been knocked out of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) playoffs.

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The No. 1 ranked Melissa Cardinals (TX) ended up falling to Aledo (TX) in the UIL Class 5A, Division I state semifinals, 5-4, on Wednesday night. The Cardinals finished the season with a 33-3 overall record, falling short of winning a state championship.

According to a MaxPreps statistics, Aledo held Melissa to four runs on six hits and Bearcats’ were led by sophomore pitcher Tempe Perry, who pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run and striking out five batters.

Melissa (33-3) started the high school softball season as the No. 1 team in the country and a few weeks ago returned to the top spot after suffering multiple losses, which the program had only one in their previous 50 games.

The roster was one of the most loaded in the nation, featuring Class of 2027 right-handed pitcher Eloisa Maes (Arizona commit), who finished the season with a 30-3 record, 1.40 earned run average and with 195 strikeouts. Florida Gator commitment Kennedy Bradley had been red hot at the plate this season, belting 21 home runs and driving in 67 runs through 36 games.

Maes finishes her junior season with a final performance, pitching six innings, yielding seven hits, giving up four earned runs, walking two and striking out four batters.

The Cardinals were previously the No. 1 ranked team in the most recent Rivals High School Softball Top 25 Rankings earlier this week.

More about Melissa High School

Melissa High School, located in Melissa, Texas, is part of the Melissa Independent School District. The school is known for its competitive athletics program, particularly in football and basketball. The Cardinals have a rich history of athletic success, including state titles in football. The newly constructed Coach Kenny Deel Stadium, opened in 2023, highlights the school’s commitment to sports, featuring luxury suites, a five-story press box, and seating for 10,000.