Grand Oaks is gaining the reputation of a home-run hitting team.
In five out of seven games last week, the Grizzlies went yard a total of nine times by six different players as they went 5-2 over a span of one district game and six games played the Southeast Texas Invitational.
Grand Oaks (12-2) beat Cleveland last Tuesday and took wins over Brenham, Hardin-Jefferson, Class 4A state runner-up Liberty and Santa Fe while taking its first loss of the season to Conroe on Friday and against Huffman-Hargrave.
Ava Butler homered three times during the week to up her total to five on the season. Kaitlynn Torres homered twice to add to her team-high total of six. Kiley Milligan hit her fourth of the season while Amira Abukhzam, Kat Mack and Lilo Wright each hit their first.
Grand Oaks scored 55 runs last week.
This week goes back to District 13-6A play for the Grizzlies and a heavy workload against College Park at home Tuesday night and New Caney Friday night.
The Cavaliers, who edged out Grand Oaks by a game to make the playoffs last year, are 8-7 so far to start the season.
College Park went 4-2 at the Corpus Christi Bayfront Bash, winning its final three games with double-digit runs scored in all three games.
On the other hand, College Park has two District 13-6A games already under its belt, but it hasn’t gone well. Conroe beat the Cavaliers 16-9 on Feb. 18 and last Tuesday, Oak Ridge won a 14-3 contest.
Last year, College Park got the best of Grand Oaks twice with a 3-2 win in February and a 9-7 win in March.
Grand Oaks was held to three hits in the February game and Torres pitched seven innings with two earned runs allowed. College Park had just two hits but drew 11 walks while Torres struck out four.
Milligan homered in the March game and totaled four RBIs while going 2-for-4. Julia Veilleux doubled and Mayce Burkett had an RBI.
Grand Oaks hasn’t beaten College Park since 2023.
The Grizzlies had better luck against New Caney last year as they swept the Eagles. Grand Oaks won 6-3 in March and 9-2 in April.
Burkett homered in the March game while Ella Brown and Veilleux, who led the team with two RBIs, doubled.
In the April game, Milligan and Burkett both doubled and Milligan had a team-high three RBIs. Burkett had three hits and an RBI and Larissa Tavares was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Torres struck out 11 in a complete-game five-hitter with two earned runs.
New Caney won the three previous meetings, prior to 2024, against Grand Oaks.
The Eagles are off to a 10-6-1 start this season. They had a rough go at last week’s Cy-Fair ISD Tournament where they went 1-4-1.
New Caney drew a bye to start district play in February and defeated Conroe in impressive fashion, 6-5, last week.
Grand Oaks softball player Amira Abukhzam (5) taps the helmet of teammate Mayce Burkett (4) in a game last month against The Woodlands. (Noah Mabry/SportCast Media)
