Texas high school baseball playoffs: 2022 UIL Class 4A 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 4A UIL Baseball State Tournament bracket
The weekend will be highlighted by the UIL’s Class 4A Baseball State Tournament, as state semifinal matchups begin Wednesday (June 8) followed by the 4A state championship game on Thursday (June 9).
Here are the projected first-pitch times for each of those Class 4A state tournament games:
- Class 4A state semifinal — Argyle (34-3-1) vs. China Spring (32-8), 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 8th, at Disch-Falk Field in Austin
- Class 4A state semifinal — Sinton (34-1) vs. Celina (32-4-1), 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 8th, at Disch-Falk Field in Austin
- Class 4A state championship — Argyle/China Spring vs. Sinton/Celina, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 9th, at Disch-Falk Field in Austin
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 4A baseball state tournament field, which features Argyle, Celina, China Spring and Sinton.
Here’s what you need to know about the Eagles, Bobcats, Cougars and Pirates before they step onto the diamond to duel for the 4A UIL Baseball State Championship:
ARGYLE EAGLES
Season Record: 34-3-1 overall, Region I champions
How They Got Here: 9-0 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 13-0 vs. Fort Worth Western Hills
- Area round — W 13-2; W 3-2 vs. Graham
- Regional quarterfinal — W 2-0; W 6-3 vs. Springtown
- Regional semifinal — W 3-2; W 7-0 vs. Canyon
- Regional championship — W 8-1; W 4-0 vs. Stephenville
Head Coach: Ricky Griffin (15th season)
Players to Watch: Senior P Evan Brandt; Sophomore 1B/P Alex D’Angelo; Junior SS/2B JC Davis; Senior P Trevor Duck; Junior LF/CF Conor Lillis
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Five (2019)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): Three (2019)
Distance to Disch-Falk Field: 215 miles
CELINA BOBCATS
Season Record: 32-4-1 overall, Region II champions
How They Got Here: 9-1 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 12-0; W 4-1 vs. Irving Ranchview
- Area round — W 8-3; W 4-0 vs. Life Waxahachie
- Regional quarterfinal — W 5-0 vs. Van Alstyne
- Regional semifinal — W 4-2; W 4-1 vs. Texarkana Liberty-Eylau
- Regional championship — L 2-5; W 5-2; W 11-2 vs. Longview Spring Hill
Head Coach: Troy McCartney (1st season)
Players to Watch: Junior OF Noah Bentley; Junior C/UTL Caden Mitchell; Junior P/OF R.J. Ruais; Junior 3B/P Jackson Rooker; Junior OF Sean Rabe
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Two (2002)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): One (2002)
Distance to Disch-Falk Field: 238 miles
CHINA SPRING COUGARS
Season Record: 32-8 overall, Region III champions
How They Got Here: 9-1 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 5-0; W 18-0 vs. Jasper
- Area round — L 2-1; W 3-1; W 10-5 vs. Taylor
- Regional quarterfinal — W 7-6 vs. Rusk
- Regional semifinal — W 5-4; W 7-3 vs. Orangefield
- Regional championship — W 3-2 (8 innings); W 3-2 (8 innings) vs. Carthage
Head Coach: Jesse Lopez (8th season)
Players to Watch: Senior C/RF Brayden Faulkner; Senior SS/RHP Kolby Killough; Senior 3B/1B Trace Necessary; Sophomore 2B/P Cage McCloud; Junior LF/DH Trevor Black
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): Eight (2000)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): Four (2000)
Distance to Disch-Falk Field: 111 miles
SINTON PIRATES
Season Record: 34-1 overall, Region IV champions
How They Got Here: 8-0 postseason record
- Bi-district round — W 10-0; W 14-1 vs. Freeport Brazosport
- Area round — W 13-1; W 9-8 vs. Wimberley
- Regional quarterfinal — W 12-0; W 12-0 vs. Needville
- Regional semifinal — W 11-0 vs. Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway
- Regional championship — W 3-1 vs. Corpus Christi Calallen
Head Coach: Adrian Alaniz (7th season)
Players to Watch: Junior C/SS/RHP Blake Mitchell; Senior C/SS Rylan Galvan; Senior OF Rene Galvan; Junior 1B/LHP Jaquae Stewart; Senior P/OF Wyatt Wiatrek; Senior RF/1B Canon Chester
State Tournament Appearances (Most Recent): 11 (2021)
UIL Baseball State Championships (Most Recent): Three (2002)
Distance to Disch-Falk Field: 170 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)
