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Rockwall-Heath baseball players celebrate after a run crosses the plate in the 2021 UIL Class 6A State Title game against Keller (2021).
STATE SEMIFINALS PREVIEW: Defending State Champs, Rockwall-Heath, is back in the state tournament
It's one thing to be a great baseball team- it's another to make multiple state appearances. Last season, Rockwall-Heath made great strides against Keller in order to become the UIL Class 6A State Champion team. This season, the Hawks have put in the work to make their return to the biggest stage in Texas High School baseball. VYPE DFW takes a look at the team's season and lays out just what fans can expect in the UIL Class 6A State Semifinals.
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A Look Back
This season the Hawks posted an incredible 12-0 undefeated district record (32-6 overall). The team has played strong and kept their same level of strength from last season- channeling bigger moments for the team. So far in playoffs, Rockwall-Heath has battled against Garland, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Naaman Forest, Oak Ridge, and most recently- cross-town rival Rockwall. En route to the state tournament, the Hawks have outscored their opponents by a combined 196 runs.
Who To Watch
The defense has continued to be incredible behind pitchers Baylor Baumann and Johnny Lowe. Baumann has a 9-1 record on the mound this season with a 1.60 ERA while Lowe has an 11-1 record on the mound this season with a 1.24 ERA. In over 153 innings, Baumann and Lowe have combined for 181 strikeouts. Jett Williams, projected first-round draft pick and Mississippi State signee, leads the Hawks at the plate with 13 home runs this season and a .404 average. Williams has scored 53 runs this season. Brady Ladusau (.328), Alex Stowers (.323), and Caleb Hoover (.308) all lead the lineup with powerful hitting.
What To Expect
Rockwall-Heath is on the hunt for their third state title- second in a row. The team has gone 4-0 in their state tournament appearances and will likely not end such a great streak. However, the Hawks are going to face off against an intelligent San Antonio Reagan (32-6-2) sqaud who is known for keeping up with the best of the best. Fans can expect decisive fielding from both teams, but with the power at the plate for the Hawks, it's not likely that we will see Rockwall-Heath bow out of the tournament in the semifinals.
The game is expected to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 10 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.
UIL State MVP Caden Fiveash wins VYPE DFW Public School Baseball Player of the Year Fan Poll
With 40.26% of the fans votes, recent Rockwall-Heath graduate, Caden Fiveash, is the VYPE DFW Public School Baseball Player of the Year Fan Poll Winner! Fiveash recently helped lead the Hawks baseball team to their second state title with a game-winning sacrifice fly. To cap off his career with Rockwall-Heath baseball, not only has he won the fan poll, but Fiveash was voted the UIL Class 6A baseball State Championships MVP.
Focusing through uncertainty

Describing the shortening of the 2019-2020 season as "tragic news" and a "huge disappointment" Fiveash told VYPE DFW that it wasn't too difficult to stay focused in order to come back into this season focused. "We kept a chip on our shoulders and played every game through playoffs with the mindset of we ARE going to win state. Nothing less."
In order to have a successful season, Fiveash kept to the idea of good, old-fashioned hard work. "The secret to my success was the hard work and dedication I had to live for these big moments," the MVP said. As for the team, success was driven from relationships made with one another. "The secret to our team success was creating bonds with one another and becoming close," said Fiveash. "We started this season as teammates but left as brothers." Fiveash added that the playoffs just gave the team extra fight and motivation.
Looking Ahead

It's no doubt that Fiveash has great things in store for his future. The baseball star is headed to Northern Oklahoma College- Tonkawa. "Junior college is a great route to take," Fiveash told VYPE. "I believe that going there and developing as well as maturing another year or two is a big deal in order to find another school later on to play." Fiveash is looking forward to going to a school where he has a better chance of starting. "I want to go to a school where I believe I have a shot of playing instead of sitting the bench." Fiveash plans to major in business.
Fiveash is excited for the future, but has great memories with Rockwall-Heath. "My favorite memory through high school has been winning state and playing for our fellow students, school, and city." With great memories as he heads off to college, he will surely pull from his high school relationships and experiences to strengthen his bond with future teammates as well as skill in the game. "My mindset is to get back to hard work and looking forward to a new goal like winning a junior college World Series to motivate me even more."
Fun Questions
Who is your favorite sports team?
"Texas Rangers."
Who do you look up to as an athlete?
"I look up to Max Scherzer."
If you could go to lunch with any person (dead or alive), who would it be? Why?
"I would go eat with Dwayne Johnson just because he has accomplished so much and seems like a cool person."































