'Started from the bottom now we're here': Bishop's turnaround softball season fueled by young talent

BISHOP — Aubrielle Saldana and the rest of her Bishop teammates were still in middle school when the Badgers advanced to the UIL state softball tournament in 2021.

Three seasons later, Saldana, along with the rest of the program, are looking to write their own script as they find themselves back in the third round of the UIL playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Bishop's bounce back season after missing the playoffs last year has been fueled by a roster full of underclassmen.

"I feel like it's a big opportunity, especially since we didn't make the playoffs last year," Saldana said. "The more we're able to prove ourselves to other people is such an amazing opportunity. And to do it with these girls is amazing."

The Badgers are in their second season under head coach Johnnie Ann Lopez, who replaced longtime skipper Tito Moreno.

Lopez said the chemistry the team has built, plus the bond the players have formed the last two seasons, is a key reason why they are still playing into May.

"They started off playing ball very young so it's nice to see them come together and get to experience what it's like at the big show," Lopez said. "We actually don't have anyone left from that state run so it's a brand new team. It's exciting to see Bishop back in the spotlight again."

The devolvement of ace pitcher Cambrie Rios and the timely hitting of Saldana, Ayla Gonzales and a Bishop offense that is hitting .389 as a team, has helped the team keep runners off base and average more than eight runs a game.

Rios enters the regional quarterfinals against Floresville with a 22-6 record and a 2.43 earned run average with 206 strikeouts in 166.2 innings.

"We're young but we push ourselves to be greater," Rios said. "We fight, push through and we try to prove a point that we're not just young, but a team that is ready to come out and play. We want to put our names out there and show what we can do as a team. We want to prove a point and be greater.

"I think it's a really big deal for us," Rios said. "We've been working really hard throughout the season and I'm very proud of how we've been able to come back and I want to give a shoutout to our coaches for helping us be better."

Gonzales leads Bishop offensively with a .538 average, which includes five home runs and 45 RBIs. Gonzales also has a team-best five triples and 15 doubles.

"It feels really good," Gonzales said. "We started at the bottom last year, but now we've made it to the third round and we've worked really hard to be here. It was scary coming into 4A, but I think we needed this to raise our confidence going back to 3A next year."

Saldana leads the Badgers with 56 hits and has 25 RBIs this season. She is also one of three players (Amanda Muniz) on the team to have a batting average of .500 or better.

The Badgers will rely on their high-powered offense and the pitching of Rios to try and slow down a Floresville team that enters the third round on a 17-game winning streak.

"I know a lot of people have doubted us because we didn't make the playoffs last year, so it feels great to prove everyone wrong and go farther than the expectations," Saldana said. "We've all grown up together and I've known a lot of these girls since I was a little girl. Having them by my side is incredible. Getting to experience this ride with them."

The Badgers' turnaround season resulted in finishing second in a competitive District 31-4A, which includes defending state champion Calallen.

Bishop finished with a 6-4 record in 31-4A play before winning five consecutive games, including two consecutive sweeps against Port Isabel and Sinton.

The Badgers are also the only team in 31-4A to limit Calallen to three runs in district play after a 3-0 loss on April 9.

"The girls like to joke around saying, 'We started from the bottom now we're here,'" Lopez said. "It was definitely a jump from 3A to 4A, but we're finally starting to find our place now."

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Bishop bounce back softball season fueled by young talent