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RANKINGS
State Semifinals Preview: Keller baseball looks to take down Strake Jesuit
Keller baseball is gearing up to face Houston Strake Jesuit College Prep in the UIL Class 6A State Semifinal matchup. Let's take a look at the breakdown between the teams per MaxPreps.
Keller Indians
The Indians have posted a 35-7 overall record on the season. After finishing first in their district, they fought their way through an incredible playoff run to make it to the UIL State Tournament. With six athletes posting above a .300 batting average, the Indians' lineup will be hard to shut down. Seniors Gray Rowlett (.393), Trey Orman (.345), Clayton Thomas (.333), Aidan Connors (.369), and Todd Baffa (.304) alongside junior Mike Dattalo (.409) have led the charge all season as the Keller offense has outscored their opponents by over 170 runs this season.
The Keller bats combined with a nearly unmatchable pitching duo in Eric Hammond (USC signee) and Robert Cranz (Wichita State signee) gives the Indians a possible upper hand against a strong Strake Jesuit team.
Strake Jesuit Crusaders
The Crusaders have posted a 27-12-1 record on the season so far en route to the semifinals. As a team that consistently scores behind a great lineup, the Crusader's offense is going to be hard to shut down.
Outscoring their opponents by nearly 100 runs this season, the Crusaders have been on fire. With sophomore Clay Richardson (batting .421 on the season) and junior Trey Duffield (.314) leading the way in batting averages for the team, Strake Jesuit has what it takes to truly put Keller's defense to work.
Prediction
Defense wins championships. Keller's defensive strength will have what it takes to advance to the state final, but not without a fight.
The semifinal is set to begin at 4 p.m. at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
State Semifinals Preview: Brock Baseball goes head to head with Corpus Christi London
Brock baseball is headed to the UIL State tournament where they will face Corpus Christi London on Friday in the UIL Class 3A State Semifinal game. Let's take a look at the breakdown between the teams per MaxPreps.
Brock Eagles
Brock has posted a 26-7-1 overall record this season going undefeated in district play (14-). With 281 runs in favor of the Eagles, fans can expect Brock to come out as heavy hitters on Friday as they step onto the diamond in Round rock. Behind Jaxson Gleaton and Carson Lightfoot, Brock's offense has been on fire all season. The same should be expected on Friday.
Holding their opponents to only 90 collective runs this season, Brock's defense doesn't leave anything to be desired by their fans. It's going to be hard to shut down such an aggressive defense and the Eagles aren't going to slip up on the biggest stage in Texas high school baseball.
CC London Pirates
The Pirates have posted a 25-5-1 overall record on the season with an undefeated district record (10-0). Corpus Christi London will be one of the toughest opponents that Brock has seen all season.
Outscoring their opponents by nearly 140 runs on the season, the Pirates bats are going to give Brock a run for their money on the field on Friday. Known for consistent offense and scoring, the Pirates will be a tough opponent for Brock at the state semifinals.
Prediction
Fans can expect nothing less than competitive and great gameplay coming out of both teams. If Brock's defense proves to play as strong as they have all season, the Eagles should be able to shut down the Pirates' bats and advance to the state championship game.
The game is set for Friday at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas with a first-pitch time of 9 a.m.