Calallen it a comeback: Wildcats win Texas Class 4A DI baseball state championship; live scoring, highlights, recap

Calallen erases 2-0 deficit, Drayton Mitchell and Cody Andrade keep Pleasant Grove at bay for program's fourth state championship

Levi Payton | Jun 5, 2025

Calallen junior southpaw Drayton Mitchell was named Class 4A Division I finals MVP by the UIL after his performance against Longview Pleasant Grove on Friday, June 6, 2025, at Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Mitchell started and earned the win in the title game, improving to 10-1 overall after allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts in 5.1 innings. He also had 2 hits at the plate, including a double, and had 2 RBI in the 5-3 win. / Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Class 4A Division I state championship will feature a heavyweight clash Friday at Dell Diamond as top-ranked Corpus Christi Calallen (34-2) takes on a streaking Texarkana Pleasant Grove (35-4) club with a shot at its fourth state title. First pitch is set for noon.

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Pleasant Grove returned to form at the right time. After dropping three of their last seven regular season games, the Hawks have caught fire in the postseason, going 10-0 and pitching five shutouts. The junior-heavy rotation has held playoff opponents to eight total runs, while Hunter Rose, Spencer Browning, Walker Wright and others have proven capable of carrying the load both on the mound and at the plate. Rose, a two-way junior, leads the team in batting at .430 and has posted a 10-1 record as a starter.

To win it all, though, the Hawks must go through one of the most complete lineups in the state. Calallen enters with a deep, balanced roster and a 13-game win streak. The Wildcats have scored double-digit runs 19 times this season and are hitting well over .400 as a team during the playoffs. Their staff is led by Chase Lynch (5-0), Drayton Mitchell (9-0), and Hayden Brock (7-0), while hitters like Blake Quinn (.598), Angel Acuna (.500), and Carson Klostermann (.500) have anchored a dangerous order.

Calallen has three state titles in its history and is making its 14th appearance at the tournament. Pleasant Grove is in the state tournament for the 11th time and last won it all in 2020. The Hawks’ path to this final included sweeps of Caddo Mills, Henderson, Frisco Panther Creek, Lindale and Seminole, with strong pitching the difference in several tight games.

With both teams unbeaten in the playoffs, the margin for error figures to be thin. Calallen’s firepower will test Pleasant Grove’s depth on the mound, while the Hawks’ experience in tight games could be a factor if it stays close late.

For more coverage of the Texas high school state baseball championships, including previews, live scoring, highlights and updates from all 11 UIL state championship games, follow High School On SI – Texas all weekend long.

Calallen vs. Pleasant Grove: Texas Class 4A Division I baseball state championship; live scoring, updates

Lineups

Corpus Christi Calallen

Reese Rusher, CF; Drayson Gamez, SS; Chase Lynch, RF; Blake Quinn, 1B; Drayton Mitchell, P; Wyatt Duke, LF; Dallin Debellas, C; Aidan Flores, 3B; Jaydon Cruz, 2B.

Texarkana Pleasant Grove

Jarret Halter, 2B; Jace Elrod, CF; Spencer Browning, SS; Hunter Rose, P; Buck Anderson, C; Landon West, RF; Walker Wright, 1B; Christian May, 3B; Ty Boozer, DH; Blue Rose, LF.

Top 1: Calallen 0, Pleasant Grove 0

Hunter Rose made the first inning look easy for Pleasant Grove, getting a strikeout, fly out and ground out for a smooth 1-2-3 inning.

Bottom 2: Calallen 0, Pleasant Grove 0

Jarret Halter hit a comebacker that ricocheted off Calallen pitcher Drayton Mitchell and rolled near the third base dugout. Halter reached with the single for the game’s first baserunner.

Following a strikeout, Spencer Browning looped a single up the line in right and Halter went first to third. Browning stole second two pitches later to give Pleasant Grove runners at second and third with one out.

In pitcher-on-pitcher crime, Drayton Mitchell got a huge strikeout of Hunter Rose for the second out of the inning, but then walked Buck Anderson to load the bases.

RUN(s) - Landon West ripped a 2-out, 2 RBI single to center. Anderson was thrown out at third trying to go first to third on the play, but not before two runs scored. Pleasant Grove 2, Calallen 0.

Top 2: Pleasant Grove 2, Calallen 0

Wyatt Duke got Calallen's first hit - a 2-out single - and went to second on a wild pitch after Pleasant Grove starter Hunter Rose - an Arkansas commit - got a strikeout and a liner for two quick outs to open the inning.

RUN(s) - Dallin Debellas pulled a looping single to left and Duke scored from second. The Wildcats cut the deficit in half, 2-1.

The half-inning ended when Deballas got picked off at first.

Bottom 2: Pleasant Grove 2, Calallen 1

Drayton Mitchell worked a 1-2-3 inning, including two more strikeouts. Odd note: Mitchell struck out 4 batters through 2 innings - each of which came on a 3-2 count. Another note: Mitchell has already thrown 43 pitches through 2 innings.

Top 3: Pleasant Grove 2, Calallen 1

Hunter Rose plunked the first batter of the inning, but worked around it and erased the run by ending another Calallen inning with a pickoff. It's the second straight inning Calallen has had its turn at the plate end with a runner getting picked off.

Bottom 3: Pleasant Grove 2, Calallen 1

Drayton Mitchell breezed through a much cleaner 1-2-3 third inning to keep the 2-1 score intact. Wyatt Duke made a catch near the wall in left on a loudout by Spencer Browning to end the inning.

Top 4: Pleasant Grove 2, Calallen 1

Calallen's Drayson Gamez led off the fourth and reached first safely on a high throw that pulled the first baseman off the bag. Gamez was credited with an infield single on the play. After a sacrifice bunt, Gamez moved to third on an opposite-field single to left by Blake Quinn to give the Wildcats runners at first and second with 1 out.

RUN(s) - Drayton Mitchell singled to right to help himself and the Wildcats. The RBI knock tied the game 2-2 and left runners on the corners with 1 out.

BIG PLAY! With runners on the corners and 1 out, Calallen tried a suicide squeeze, but the operation is foiled by pitcher Hunter Rose, who fielded the bunt and flipped to his catcher to cut down the runner at the plate. Rose then got a pop up to escape without the game tied, 2-2.

Bottom 4: Calallen 2, Pleasant Grove 2

Mitchell works another 1-2-3 inning on the mound for Calallen and has now retired nine straight batters.

Top 5: Calallen 2, Pleasant Grove 2

Calallen loaded the bases on a leadoff single by Aidan Flores and back-to-back hit batters. Those hit batsmen chased Pleasant Grove starter Hunter Rose, who gives way to reliever Jarret Halter.

BIG PLAY! Pleasant Grove got a HUGE double play. Calallen's Drayson Gamez flew out to centerfielder Hunter Rose - who just moved to center after pitching the first four innings - and Rose threw out the runner who tagged from third at the plate.

RUN(s) - Chase Lynch roped a single to right and Calallen responds to the double play by breaking the tie. Jaydon Cruz scored on the play to make it 3-2.

Calallen re-loaded the bases with 2 outs, but Halter got Mitchell to pop upto end the inning.

Bottom 5: Calallen 3, Pleasant Grove 2

Walker Wright drew a leadoff walk for Pleasant Grove - snapping a streak of nine consecutive batters retired by Mitchell - and then stole second with nobody out to put himself in scoring position.

Christian May followed Wright's steal with a single to center, but Wright can only make it to third. The hit gave Pleasant Grove runners on the corners with nobody out. May followed Wright's lead and stole second a few pitches later to put runners on second and third with no outs.

BIG PLAY! With the infield playing in, Calallen second baseman Jacob Cruz makes a charging stab on a sharp grounder and throws home to cut down the tying run at the plate for the first out of the inning. Pleasant Grove has runners on the corners with one out. The play by Cruz importantly set up a double play opportunity for the Wildcats.

RUN(s) - Christian May scored on a passed ball. Pleasant Grove tied the game 3-3.

Mitchell got his sixth strikeout of the game to end the inning, stranding the go-ahead run at second base.

Top 6: Calallen 3, Pleasant Grove 3

Wyatt Duke got a huge hit for Calallen, smashing a leadoff double to the alley in right center. That would've gone out of most high school parks.

RUN(s) - Aidan Flores broke the tie with an RBI single into left center on an 0-2 pitch to score Duke. Calallen 4, Pleasant Grove 3.

Pleasant Grove pitcher Jarret Halter gets a pop up to end the inning and strand a runner at second.

Bottom 6: Calallen 4, Pleasant Grove 3

Hunter Rose gave Pleasant Grove some hope with a 1-out single and the next batter, Buck Anderson, was hit by a pitch (it would have been ball 4 anyway) to put runners on first and second. That finished Mitchell, who was lifted for senior reliever Cody Andrade. Mitchell left the field to a big ovation from the Calallen crowd.

Andrade came in hot, the sidewinder catching Landon West looking on three pitches and getting back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

Top 7: Calallen 4, Pleasant Grove 3

Drayson Gamez drew a 4-pitch walk to lead off the inning for the Wildcats.

RUN(s) - Drayton Mitchell hit a long double over the left fielder's head and is tagged out at third trying to stretch it into a triple. Gamez scored before the out was recorded and it is a huge insurance run for Calallen, which leads 5-3.

Bottom 7: Calallen 5, Pleasant Grove 3

Cody Andrade is on for the final three outs of the seventh for Calallen and he stuck out the first batter of the inning to give him three straight since he took over in the sixth.

Andrade made it back-to-back strikeouts to start the seventh - catching the second batter looking and giving him four consecutive strikeouts.

Jarrett Halter made things interesting with a 2-out, 2-strike single on a bad hop grounder to keep Pleasant Grove alive.

Andrade worked around the single and struck out the side, getting Jace Eldor swinging to end it.

Final: Corpus Christi Calallen 5, Longview Plesant Grove 3

Junior southpaw Drayton Mitchell was named Class 4A Division I finals MVP by the UIL after for his performance both on the mound and at the plate. He picked up the win, moving to 10-1 on the season, after striking out 6 batters and allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits in 5.1 innings. Mitchell was also huge at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI. Aiden Mitchell and Wyatt Duke also had two hits apiece for the Wildcats.

Senior reliever Cody Andrade was outstanding in his final outing in a Calallen uniform. The righty struck out five of the six batters he faced and allowed 1 hit in 1.2 innings to earn the save. The Wildcats trailed until tying it at 2 in the fourth inning. They also added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

Jarret Halter led the way for Pleasant Grove in his final game. The senior picked up two hits and allowed a pair of runs on four hits in 3 innings of relief. Hunter Rose started on the mound and got a no-decision after allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with 2 strikeouts in 4 innings.

The title is Calallen's fourth in program history.