Texas high school baseball playoffs: 2022 UIL Class 3A Baseball State Tournament preview, players to watch
AUSTIN, Texas — The road to the Texas high school baseball state championships ends this week deep in the heart of the Lone Star State at the 2022 UIL Baseball State Tournament.
The sixth and seventh rounds of the playoffs will get underway at Dell Diamond in Round Rock and Disch-Falk Field in Austin with the last two dozen teams left standing around the state battling for six titles during a five-day state championship weekend.
RELATED: Class 3A UIL Baseball State Tournament bracket
The UIL’s Class 3A Baseball State Tournament will headline state championship weekend’s early action, as semifinal matchups begin Friday (June 10) followed by the 3A state championship game on Saturday (June 11).
Here are the projected first-pitch times for each of those Class 3A state tournament games:
- Class 3A state semifinal — Gunter (34-1) vs. Corpus Christi London (24-13), 9 a.m. Friday, June 10th, at Dell Diamond in Round Rock
- Class 3A state semifinal — Brock (35-3) vs. Diboll (38-4), Noon Friday, June 10th, at Dell Diamond in Round Rock
- Class 3A state championship — Gunter/Corpus Christi London vs. Brock/Diboll, 9 a.m. Saturday, June 11th, at Dell Diamond in Round Rock
SBLive Texas will be taking a closer look at the state’s top players, storylines and x-factors to watch in each classification level during the 2022 UIL Baseball State Championships throughout the week.
We’ll begin by taking a deep dive to analyze the competition in the four-team Class 3A baseball state tournament field, which features Brock, Corpus Christi London, Diboll and Gunter.
Here’s what you need to know about the Eagles, Pirates, Lumberjacks and Tigers before they step onto the diamond to duel for the 3A UIL Baseball State Championship:
BROCK EAGLES
Season Record: 35-3 overall, Region I champions
How They Got Here: 10-0 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 4-2; W 10-0 vs. Breckenridge
- Area round — W 3-0; W 12-2 vs. Coahoma
- Regional quarterfinal — W 13-1; W 13-1 vs. Holliday
- Regional semifinal — W 8-0; W 4-1 vs. Idalou
- Regional championship — W 4-1; W 3-0 vs. Bowie
Head Coach: Tim Arden (16th season)
Players to Watch: Senior P Tristan Boedecker; Senior 3B/C Luke Stills; Senior 1B/P Peyton Shaffer; Sophomore CF/P Sawyer Strosnider; Junior OF/3B Jaxson Cooke
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Seven (2021)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): One (2006)
Distance to Dell Diamond: 190 miles
CORPUS CHRISTI LONDON PIRATES
Season Record: 24-13 overall, Region IV champions
How They Got Here: 8-1 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 3-2 vs. Odem
- Area round — W 21-0 vs. Edinburg IDEA Quest
- Regional quarterfinal — W 1-0 (12 innings); W 17-5 vs. Santa Gertrudis Academy
- Regional semifinal — W 8-0; W 7-6 vs. Lago Vista
- Regional championship — W 3-1; L 2-3 (9 innings); W 4-3 vs. Bishop
Head Coach: Kevin Carr and Albert Amaya (10th season)
Players to Watch: Junior OF Mason Arispe; Senior P/1B Kade Budd; Freshman P/1B Ethan Ortega; Sophomore SS/UTL Mason Jacob; Senior C Jayden Martinez; Freshman RF/UTL Rudy-James Olivares
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Two (2021)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): None
Distance to Dell Diamond: 228 miles
DIBOLL LUMBERJACKS
Season Record: 38-4 overall, Region III champions
How They Got Here: 10-1 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 1-0; W 13-3 vs. Kountze
- Area round — W 11-0; W 14-4 vs. Boling
- Regional quarterfinal — W 7-1; W 12-6 vs. Woodville
- Regional semifinal — W 7-5; L 2-6; W 4-1 vs. Cameron Yoe
- Regional championship — W 5-2; W 9-1 vs. Franklin
Head Coach: VJ Bunner (3rd season)
Players to Watch: Senior P/INF Ty Roman; Senior CF/P Carson Morales; Senior P/1B Gabe Smith; Senior SS/P Coby Dejesus; Junior LF Zach Phipps; Junior C Edger Portillo
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): First UIL Baseball State Tournament appearance in school history
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): None
Distance to Dell Diamond: 210 miles
GUNTER TIGERS
Season Record: 34-1 overall, Region II champions
How They Got Here: 10-0 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 18-1; W 8-2 vs. Edgewood
- Area round — W 9-1; W 7-6 vs. Whitesboro
- Regional quarterfinal — W 2-1; W 13-0 vs. Maypearl
- Regional semifinal — W 13-2; W 2-0 vs. Harmony
- Regional championship — W 15-1; W 4-1 vs. Pottsboro
Head Coach: Daryl Hellman (4th season)
Players to Watch: Junior P Isaac Villanueva; Senior OF/INF Kaden Rigsby; Senior INF/OF Trey Oblas; Sophomore INF/P Cade Dodson; Senior C/P Riekkhen Bostick
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Nine (2021)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): Two (1998)
Distance to Dell Diamond: 229 miles
Stay with SBLive Texas all week and throughout the postseason for scores, game recaps, photo galleries, top performers and much more.
For complete statewide scores and schedules, check our Texas scoreboards below:
REGION I SCOREBOARD | REGION II SCOREBOARD
REGION III SCOREBOARD | REGION IV SCOREBOARD
Here are the brackets for every classification level this week at the 2022 Texas (UIL) Baseball State Championships:
CLASS 6A BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
CLASS 5A BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
CLASS 4A BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
CLASS 3A BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
CLASS 2A BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
CLASS 1A BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKET
You can also download the SBLive Sports app to follow along on your phone:
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More from SBLive Texas:
Vote for the Texas High School Athlete of the Week! (May 30-June 5)
(Feature photo by Blake Purcell)
