Tyler Legacy’s Mallory Kniffen is congratulated by head coach Justin Kniffen after hitting a home run in the first inning of a 5-0 win against Mesquite Horn at Faulkner Park in Tyler.

Tyler Legacy hadn’t reached the softball playoffs since 2015.

The Lady Raiders finished third in District 10-6A to advance to the postseason and ended with a 19-10 record.

For their efforts, multiple Lady Raiders were selected to the All-District 10-6A Softball Team for the 2021 season, the league’s coaches announced.

Junior catcher Gabi Escandon was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year. Escandon had a .981 fielding percentage with 99 putouts and seven assists. At the plate, she hit .520 with seven doubles, two triples, 18 RBIs, 24 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.

Freshman third baseman Mallory Kniffen and junior shortstop Maddie Flanery were both first-team selections. Kniffen hit .275 with a home run, five doubles, a triple, 18 RBIs, 20 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Flanery hit .329 with a triple, 13 RBIs, 29 runs scored and 29 stolen bases.

Junior pitcher Presley Johnston, freshman second baseman Kylee Tapia and freshman utility player Reese Neely were second-team selections for the Lady Raiders. Johnston was 9-8 with a 2.19 ERA and 102 strikeouts and 34 walks in 92.1 innings. Johnston hit .333 with two home runs, nine doubles, 21 RBIs and 17 runs scored. Tapia hit .366 with four home runs, 11 doubles, five triples, 33 RBIs, 28 runs and eight stolen bases. Neely hit .316 with a home run, five doubles,a triple, 16 RBIs, 16 runs and nine stolen bases.

Rockwall, which advanced to the state tournament, grabbed three superlatives. Junior Elizabeth Shaefer was chosen as the Most Valuable Player. Freshman Ainsley Pemberton was selected as the Pitcher of the Year. Shadie Acosta was named the Coach of the Year.

North Mesquite sophomore Gabrielle Briones was the Offensive Player of the Year. Rockwall-Heath junior Kylie Isaac-Bautista was tabbed as the Catcher of the Year, and Mesquite sophomore Marissa Roman was selected as the Newcomer of the Year.

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All-District 10-6A Softball Team

Most Valuable Player: Elizabeth Shaefer, junior, Rockwall

Pitcher of the Year: Ainsley Pemberton, freshman, Rockwall

Offensive Player of the Year: Gabrielle Briones, sophomore, North Mesquite

Catcher of the Year: Kylie Isaac-Bautista, junior, Rockwall-Heath

Defensive Player of the Year: Gabi Escandon, junior, Tyler Legacy

Newcomer of the Year: Marissa Roman, sophomore, Mesquite

Coach of the Year: Shadie Acosta, Rockwall

First Team

Pitchers: Danielle Gillean, junior, Rockwall-Heath; Sophia Garcia, freshman, Mesquite Horn

Catcher: Ashley Monks, senior, Rockwall

Infielders: Ashley Minor, junior, Rockwall; Mallory Kniffen, junior, Tyler Legacy; Maddie Flanery, junior, Tyler Legacy; Hunter Gilmore, junior, Mesquite; Peyton Young, sophomore, Rockwall-Heath

Outfielders: Carter Smith, senior, Rockwall; Ava Wallace, freshman, Rockwall; Zoey Quinn, sophomore, Rockwall; Kelsey Fox, sophomore, Rockwall-Heath; Lily Wilson, senior, Rockwall-Heath; Elizabeth Mendoza, senior, Mesquite Horn

Utility: Logan Nies, junior, Rockwall

Second Team

Pitchers: Jazelle Hernandez, junior, Mesquite; Presley Johnston, junior, Tyler Legacy

Infielders: Savannah Ford, freshman, Rockwall; Delany Drain, senior, Rockwall-Heath; McKenna Rowland, freshman, Rockwall-Heath; Kiana Beasley, junior, Mesquite; Kylee Tapia, freshman, Tyler Legacy; Jadyn Julka, junior, Mesquite Horn

Outfielders: Brooke Barron, junior, Rockwall; Haidyn Cornelius, sophomore, Rockwall-Heath; Rylee Gentzle, freshman, Rockwall-Heath; Hannah Seder, senior, North Mesquite; Arianna Cottrell, junior, North Mesquite

Utility: Taylor Johnson, junior, Mesquite Horn; Reese Neely, freshman, Tyler Legacy

Honorable Mention

Tyler Legacy: Bonnye Bunn, Maddie Carrillo, Brooke Davis

Rockwall-Heath: Emily Baker, Laney Conrad

Dallas Skyline: Mariya Williams, Jeimy Rodriguez

North Mesquite: Sofia Hernandez, Makiya Myles, Kaitlyn Murphree, Baleigh Davis, Raegan Davis, Abigail Hernandez

Mesquite Horn: Lauren Carrasco, Jeslian Rosado Caballero, Miranda Salines

Mesquite: Madison Reinhart, Annalise Barron, Tatum Burton

Rockwall: Audrea Henderson, Laci Larsen

Academic All-District

Tyler Legacy: Reese Neely, Brooke Davis, Gabi Escandon, Madi Flanery, Presley Johnston

Rockwall-Heath: Grace Alexander, Addyson Allen, Emily Baker, Laney Conrad, Macey Conrad, Haidyn Cornelius, Delaney Drain, Kelsey Fox, Rylee Gentzel, Danielle Gillean, Kailee Isaac Baustista, Tabetha Kwasnica, Peyton Young

Dallas Skyline: Jeimy Rodriguez, Rudy Caballero, Nancy Ramirez, Crystal Rodriguez

Mesquite Horn: Neveah Cano, Lauren Carrasco, AnnaBelle Figueroa, Sophia Garcia, Raegan Jackson, Elizabeth Mendoza, A’Mya York

Mesquite: Kiana Beasley, Tatum Burton, Briana Santamaria, Violet Torres, Madison Reinhart, Isabella Casarez

Rockwall: Brooke Barron, Savannah Ford, Megan Hampton, Audra Henderson, Laci Larsen, Ashley Minor, Ainsley Pemberton, Zoe Quinn, Elizabeth Schaefer, Roxy Thompson, Ava Wallace