STATE SEMIFINALS PREVIEW: Mansfield Legacy gears up for first-ever State Tournament appearance

Mansfield Legacy (32-9) is set to make their first-ever UIL Baseball State Tournament appearance on Thursday, June 8, 2022. The team fought hard all season and is ready to do whatever it takes to get to the state title game. Before they can do that, though, they must take down Friendswood (29-7-1) in the UIL Class 5A Baseball State Semifinals. VYPE DFW takes a look at the season so far and dives into what fans can expect from this squad.

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A Look Back

Coming into the season with a brand new perspective on getting the job done, the Broncos did just that. Through preseason, the team fought hard and sharpened their skills for district play. In district play, the team went 13-1 against district opponents before sliding into playoffs with the mentality to take each game as a new start and get to the next level.

So far in playoffs, the team has gone back and forth with their opponents and made timely plays in order to keep their season alive. The team even defeated Aledo in a come-from-behind victory during an elimination game. To say that the Broncos are battle-tested is a complete understatement.

Who To Watch

Kayden Voelkel leads the team at the plate with a .455 batting average, six home runs, and 57 RBIs. Dylan Schlaegel has posted a .382 batting average while tallying six triples this season. Defensively speaking, Voelkel has been a force on the mound- posting a 2.94 ERA in 50 innings pitched while Drake Dowd leads the defense with a 2.00 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched. The team has nine athletes who are batting .300 or better.

What To Expect:

Friendswood has a slew of great players and can be expected to play hard right out the gate. The team is going to put up a fight against Mansfield Legacy as they go for their first-ever state title. However, Mansfield Legacy is on a mission and won't stop until they get the most out of this season. The batters on the Broncos' team will be able to get the offense started before the defense shuts down all attacks from Friendswood.

The game is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.