Badgers Land Four on Small School Softball Preseason All-Star Team

Fourteen-member honor squad selected by area coaches

February 8, 2022

CORPUS CHRISTI – Repeat honorees Andrea Martinez and Hannah Griffith of Bishop and Sinton’s Annie Kay, a 2020 selection, headline the Small School Division of this year’s South Texas Preseason All-Star Softball Team, as voted on by head coaches from 26 Coastal Bend high schools. Martinez, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times

CORPUS CHRISTI – Repeat honorees Andrea Martinez and Hannah Griffith of Bishop and Sinton’s Annie Kay, a 2020 selection, headline the Small School Division of this year’s South Texas Preseason All-Star Softball Team, as voted on by head coaches from 26 Coastal Bend high schools.

Martinez, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times All-South Texas MVP from a year ago, led Bishop Softball to its first state tournament appearance in 2021. An all-state selection by the Texas Girls Coaches Association, she enters her senior campaign with over 25 wins and more than 500 strikeouts.

Griffith, who tossed a perfect game in her lone playoff start against Monte Alto, served as lead-off hitter in her first season as the Badgers' primary shortstop. Bishop is also represented by senior first baseman Mia Tamez and junior third baseman Sadie Flores.

The Badgers' district rival, Santa Gertrudis Academy, boasts three players on the South Texas preseason all-star team: senior pitcher Jaci Salinas, senior catcher Kayla Ramirez and senior outfielder Debra Favors. SGA finished 2021 with a record of 36-6 after falling to Bishop in a best-of-three regional final.

Kay, a 2021 TGCA all-state standout, serves as a senior outfielder on this all-star team, though she earned first-team all-district recognition at shortstop for Sinton last year. Her Pirates teammate, pitcher Jamie Burch, the lone sophomore honored today, garnered first-team 26-4A acclaim as a freshman.

The two Rockport-Fulton representatives are seniors, outfielder Payton Martinez and designated player Krystal Kutach. Martinez and Kutach were both first-team all-district in 26-4A.

Rounding out the pitching staff is Mathis senior Anyssia Mendoza who won 22 games while also hitting .405 as the Pirates advanced to the regional quarterfinals. Mendoza was the 29-3A Co-MVP and a Caller-Times All-South Texas first-teamer.

Ingleside’s Samantha Mircovich and senior Mikaela Salinas of London were the leading vote-getters at second base and utility, respectively. Mircovich was a first-team outfielder in 26-4A as a sophomore last season.

2022 South Texas Preseason All-Star Team – Small School Softball Division

Catcher
Kayla Ramirez | Santa Gertrudis Academy | Sr.

First Base
Mia Tamez | Bishop | Sr.

Second Base
Samantha Mircovich | Ingleside | Jr.

Third Base
Sedalia Flores | Bishop | Jr.

Shortstop
Hannah Griffith | Bishop | Sr.

Designated Player
Krystal Kutach | Rockport-Fulton | Sr.

Utility
Mikaela Salinas | London | Sr.