Texas high school baseball state championships: Class 4A finals; matchups, key players, stats, how they got here

Nationally ranked Calallen headlines Friday’s Texas 4A baseball state championship doubleheader at Dell Diamond

Calallen’s Blake Quinn packs a punch in the middle of the Wildcats' lineup. / Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the first time in UIL history, the Class 4A baseball state championship will be split into two divisions = and both matchups are set to take place Friday morning at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.

In the Class 4A Division I final, No. 8 nationally ranked Corpus Christi Calallen will take on perennial East Texas power Texarkana Pleasant Grove at noon. That game follows the Division II state title game, which features a pair of first-time finalists - Longview Spring Hill and Wimberley - squaring off at 9 a.m.

This marks the beginning of a new era in Texas high school baseball, as the UIL moves forward with split divisions in Classes 2A through 6A, allowing more teams the opportunity to compete for championships. The change expands the number of state championship games from six to 11, all of which will be played this week in Round Rock.

Calallen enters the Division I final as one of the most dominant teams in the country and the highest-ranked Texas program in High School On SI’s final national top 25. The Wildcats will have their hands full against a Pleasant Grove squad that has caught fire in the postseason and is making its 11th state tournament appearance.

High School On SI – Texas will provide live scoring, game previews and full coverage from Dell Diamond throughout the week. Stay tuned for full previews and updates from all 11 championship games across every division.

---

Texas high school baseball state championships: Class 4A finals; matchups, key players, stats, how they got here

At Dell Diamond (Round Rock)

Class 4A Division I

Texarkana Pleasant Grove (35-4) vs. Corpus Christi Calallen (34-2)

Date: Fri., June 6

Time: noon

About Pleasant Grove

Playoff history: Making their 11th state tournament appearance, the Hawks are playing for their program’s fourth state championship.

Playoff record: 10-0

Key players: Hunter Rose (OF/P, jr.) .430 / 10-1; Blue Rose (OF/P, fr.) .273; Jarret Halter (INF/P, sr.) .417 / 4-1; Jace Elrod (OF/INF, jr.) .385; Walker Wright (INF/P, jr.) 6-0; Luke Flanagan (P, sr.) 4-1; Harrison Newton (P, jr.) 1-0; Kaiden Klar (P, jr.) .429; Ben Carpenter (P, jr.) 4-0; Spencer Browning (INF/P, jr.) .347 / 6-0; Landon West (OF/INF, sr.) .330; Buck Anderson (C, jr.) .330.

How they got here

Entering the playoffs on a bit of a slide, Pleasant Grove quickly sorted things out once the postseason began and now hopes to run the table. The Hawks won their first 12 games of the season and were 21-1 before dropping three of their final seven games of the regular season. … They’ve been hot in the playoffs, pitching five shutouts and outscoring opponents 76-8. They’ve swept all five opponents – beating Caddo Mills (6-0, 3-1), Henderson (11-0, 13-0), Frisco Panther Creek (4-0, 10-2), Lindale (4-3, 3-1) and Seminole 9-0, 13-1). … They also had nine shutouts in the regular season and outscored opponents 234-58 in 29 regular season games.

Keys to victory

If they are to win the state championship this season, all the Hawks must do is go through one of the best teams in the entire country to get it. Pleasant Grove has its work cut out for itself but has the talent to get the job done. Stacked with a host of talented junior pitchers, the Hawks are led by Hunter Rose, who carries an average of .430 at the plate while leading the pitching staff with a 10-1 record on the mound. Fellow junior pitchers Spencer Browning and Walker Wright are each 6-0 on the bump, while Ben Carpenter is 4-0 and senior Luke Flanagan is 4-1. … Those pitchers will be key in keeping one of the nation’s best offenses at bay. If they can, the Hawks have proven capable of winning games in a multitude of ways and has the horses to pull off an upset.

About Calallen

Playoff history: This is the 14th state tournament appearance for the Wildcats. They have won three state championships.

Playoff record: 8-0

Key players: Chase Lynch (RF/P, sr.) .565 / 5-0; Drayton Mitchell (UTIL/P, jr.) .412 / 9-0; Hayden Brock (P/OF, sr.) .350 / 7-0; Cody Andrade (P, sr.) 3-1; Collier Carroll (P, jr.) 8-1; Dallin Debellas (C/IF, jr) .361; Reese Rusher (CF/LF, jr.) .480; Reese Rusher (CF/LF, jr.) .480; Carson Klostermann (SS/2B, jr.) .500; Drayson Gamez (SS/2B, jr.) .345; Aidan Flores (3B/2B, jr.) .367; Angel Acuna (OF/C, jr.) .500; Wyatt Duke (LF/CF, soph.) .407; Cash Filla (INF/P, soph.) .500; Connor Klostermann (P/INF, soph.) .500; Sebastian Dennis (OF, sr.) .667; Blake Quinn (1B/DH, jr.) .598; Jaydon Cruz (2B/SS, sr.) .364; Diego Fuentes (OF, sr.) .333; Alex Rodriguez (1B, sr.) .300; Colton Davis (OF/P, soph.) .333.

How they got here

When you really break down the Wildcats’ season, it’s a bit funny. There isn’t much in between when it comes to their outcomes. They either bludgeon teams or play them close. Usually, they just bludgeon teams. They’ve scored 10 or more runs in 19 of 36 games, including 5 of 10 playoff games. They lost two late regular season games by a combined two runs (3-2 to Bishop and 5-4 to San Antonio Reagan). … Imposing one of the deepest rosters in the state of Texas, the Wildcats began the playoffs with consecutive wins of 12-0, 22-3 and 21-0. They swept Pharr Valley View by the first two scores, and the 21-0 win was a Game 1 victory in the second round against El Campo, whom they swept with a 3-2 win in Game 2. They beat Uvalde 14-4 in the third round and then escaped a 1-0 nail-biter in a 1-game playoff with Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway in the regional finals. They beat China Spring 9-7 and 11-1 in the semifinals.

Keys to victory

It feels odd to mention this considering how good Calallen’s offense has been all year, but the Wildcats must find a way to get their offense going in this one. Pleasant Grove has a very good pitching staff that only allowed 58 runs all regular season and hasn’t allowed much else in the postseason. … The Wildcats can change that in a hurry, as they’ve been known to pile up runs against good pitching, but the Hawks have a deep staff and are well-versed in close games. The Wildcats certainly don’t want to leave anything to chance, and if they can get a lead, they will have confidence in their ability to maintain it. … It could be curtains for the team that struggles early, as both offenses are capable of putting a game away in a flash.

---

Class 4A Division II

Longview Spring Hill (34-7) vs. Wimberley (26-7-1)

Date: Fri., June 6

Time: 9 a.m.

About Spring Hill

Playoff history: This is the Panthers’ second trip to the state tournament. They are seeking to win their first state championship.

Playoff record: 9-1

Key players: Hudson Bartell (SS/P, .258 / 1-1; Landon Bartell (P, sr.) 5-0; Corbin Broyles (2B/C, sr.) .370; Cayden Rhodes (P/LF, sr.) .320 / 8-0; Trenton Beall (1B/OF, jr.) .463; Travis Allen (CF, jr.) .349; Trent Thompson (3B/C, sr.) .447; Eli Emery (C/1B, jr.) .293; Jayce Atkins (P, jr.) 3-0; Grant Burton (P/1B, sr.) .275 / 12-2; Mason Barnes (SS/P, jr.) 5-1; Cayson Wilkins (RF/1B, sr.) .316.

How they got here

After losing 4 of 7 games during a rough stretch in the heart of the regular season, the Panthers rebounded to win 15 of their final 16 games and closed the season on an 11-game winning streak. … Their only loss this postseason came in a 4-0 setback against Carthage in Game 1 of their regional final series. Luckily for the Panthers, it was a best-of-3 series, and they answered with wins of 10-3 in Game 2 and 7-5 in Game 3. … They beat Canton in the first round (8-0, 6-3), Farmersville (14-0, 11-0) and swept Brock (7-6, 2-0) in the semifinals. … They have pitched 15 shutouts and have five in the postseason.

Keys to victory

In a game that feels evenly matched up and down the roster and a complete toss up, the key for both teams will be eliminating mistakes. It sounds cliché, but the team that plays the cleanest game will likely win this one and the Panthers are going to need to play clean defense against a Wimberley team that makes consistent contact and keeps stress on defenses. Spring Hill committed three errors in its semifinal series against Brock and escaped with two close wins.

About Wimberley

Playoff history: This is Wimberley’s first appearance in the state tournament.

Playoff record: 10-2

Key players: Cody Stoever (1B, sr.) .286; Bryson Anderson (OF/P, sr.) .416; Jackson Parker (P/OF, jr.) 3-2; Gentry McGinnis (P/IF, jr.) 10-1; Jayden Hall (IF/P, soph.) .327 / 5-0; Sage Hall (OF/soph.) .326; Ty Thames (P/INF, sr.) .378 / 5-1; Wyatt Yeatter (INF/P, sr.) .300 / 2-1.

How they got here

There probably weren’t many people picking the Texans to make their first trip to the state tournament and a legit run at a state title in 2025 when they began the season at 4-3-1 through the first eight games. But they began opening people’s eyes with a 10-game winning streak before wobbling to the finish with a 2-2 stretch in the final four games of the regular season. … They began the postseason against Lago Vista, winning a 9-8 thriller in Game 1. That win will always be the key to their entire postseason, as they lost Game 2 (3-1) before bouncing back with a convincing 7-1 win in Game 3. … They shut out Pleasanton in a series sweep (6-0, 4-0) and then had more drama with a 2-1 loss to kick off their series against Sweeny before coming back with wins of 5-2 and 3-0 to stave off elimination. … They haven’t lost since, beating Sinton (6-2, 4-1) and Bridge City (4-1, 7-6).

Keys to victory

The Texans have never played for a state championship before, so there’s no way to know how they might handle the moment on the big stage. What we do know is they will have to eliminate mistakes and unforced errors. Being relatively heavy on upper classmen should help, as the veterans will undoubtedly be carrying the team’s torch into uncharted territory. In a game that appears so evenly-matched – and with both teams searching for their first state title – don’t be surprised if this turns out to be one of the most entertaining games of the week.

---

More stories from High School On SI - Texas:

feed