Katy Softball Wins First State Title Since 2019, Tops Forney 7-2

Twenty straight wins and a state championship to show for it. Katy's softball program ended a six-year title drought by defeating Forney 7-2, claiming the Tigers' first state crown since 2019.

Katy wasted no time setting the tone. Evie Willemssen drove a pitch the opposite way to the wall in the first inning, plating E.K. Smith and Kassidy Minnick to put the Tigers up 2-0 before Forney could settle in.

Freshman Haley Schmidt contributed beyond her class standing, recording a strikeout to close out the fifth inning with Katy firmly in control. The Tigers extended their lead to 6-1 in the sixth when Abby Eldridge connected on a two-run home run that left no doubt about its destination.

Forney mounted a final push in the seventh, but Maddie Smith ended it with a back-pick of Evelynn Riggs at first base — a heads-up defensive play that secured the final out and the championship. Katy closed out the season on a 20-game winning streak, capping the run with a title that had eluded the program since 2019.