Aidan Coleman, San Antonio Reagan shut out Rockwall Heath in 6A Texas (UIL) Baseball State Semifinals

ROUND ROCK, Texas — San Antonio Reagan has been clutch when it has counted during the 2022 Texas high school baseball playoffs.

The Rattlers powered their way into the Class 6A UIL Baseball State Tournament after securing victories in win-or-go-home games against Eagle Pass in the regional semifinals and Lake Travis in the Region IV-6A championship series.

The Rattlers kept rolling Friday night in their first trip to the state tournament since 2018.

Led by a complete-game shutout on the mound by junior Aidan Coleman — a Pittsburgh Panthers commit — and an opportunistic approach offensively, San Antonio Reagan stymied Rockwall Heath and beat the defending 6A state champions in a 6-0 state semifinals victory at Dell Diamond.

RELATED: Rockwall Heath-San Antonio Reagan Box Score | Class 6A UIL Baseball State Tournament bracket | Statewide Texas HS Scoreboard

Reagan’s first win at the UIL Baseball State Tournament win in four years sends the Rattlers to the Class 6A state title game where they’ll face Southlake Carroll for a shot at their first state championship in school history.

Southlake beat San Antonio Reagan 7-2 in the 2018 Class 6A UIL Baseball State Championship game during the last meeting between the two teams.

“It started on the mound with Aidan. I mean, he was incredible,” San Antonio Reagan head coach Rodney Chapman said.

“He was in complete control of the game the whole time. He had that one inning with two outs when we loaded up the bases, but he never wavered. And when he's like that, we're tough to beat. We needed that kind of performance, and he gave it to us.”

“I just went out there and stayed focused against a really good team,” Coleman said. “The whole team worked behind me tonight and we were swinging it well. It was just an overall great night for everybody.”

Reagan’s ace delivered a dominant performance that left the Rattlers in control of the contest after scoring the first runs of the contest during the top of the second inning.

Coleman hammered the strike zone all night and worked ahead into favorable counts against a hot Rockwall Heath lineup.

The Rattlers’ junior threw 92 pitches in seven innings and finished with five strikeouts, a walk and five singles allowed.

“I threw the curveball a few times. But the slider, it was really working for me,” he said. “I think if I can throw that pitch for a strike, my fastball just looks a little different. And I think it really helps me when that slider is on.”

Reagan seized an early edge after senior second baseman Cole Tabor’s leadoff single to start the second inning.

Tabor stole second base — one of three stolen bases during the inning and one of the Rattlers’ four swiped bags for the game — to set up junior right fielder Luke Sasser for a line drive, RBI single past Heath’s first baseman.

San Antonio Reagan tacked on two more runs during the top of the third.

Junior third baseman Ashton Beaird and senior center fielder Britton Moore drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning before a pair of balks during the ensuing at-bat scored Beaird and moved Moore up to third base.

Rattlers’ senior shortstop Teagan Peeples finished off that lengthy plate appearance with an RBI single up the middle to bring Moore home and push Reagan’s lead to 3-0.

“It's awesome. It just helps build confidence as the game goes on,” Coleman said of his team’s offense. “And as the guys were just swinging it well, it builds some energy in the dugout. That really helps us move forward. “

Coleman was at his best on the mound, though, during high-pressure moments for the Rattlers.

He retired Heath’s leadoff hitters to start six of seven innings and kept the Hawks 0-for-5 collectively with runners in scoring position Friday night.

Rockwall Heath pushed runners into scoring position with two outs during the bottom of the third, fifth and seventh innings, but Coleman started each of the Hawks’ hitters off with a first-pitch strike and worked himself out of those sticky situations every time to preserve his team’s multi-run lead.

“They're the defending state champions, so I came out there with some confidence, really trying to, I guess, dethrone them,” Coleman said. “Everything was working well, I just had to stay focused and worry about what’s important.”

The Rattlers added three insurance runs during the top of the seventh after a hit-by-pitch and throwing error set up an RBI sac fly by junior first baseman Brennan Greer and an RBI double by Tabor.

Reagan plated its final run of the night with two outs after three straight walks.

Rockwall Heath senior shortstop Jett Williams — a Mississippi State commit who’s likely to be selected during the early rounds of the 2022 MLB Draft — paced the Hawks offense and finished a 2-for-3 performance with two singles, a hit-by-pitch and a stolen base.

San Antonio Reagan (33-6-2) is set to return to action against Southlake Carroll (33-8) in the 6A state title game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.

“They've done it all year, regardless of the situation. They have done what it takes to win baseball games,” Chapman said of his ball club. “They’ve got one goal in mind and that’s to win tomorrow at four o'clock. This is what we started out with back in August and in the offseason: get to Round Rock and win a state championship.”

“I think we’ve just got to stay focused and not let the moment get too big,” Coleman said. “And if we play our own game, then we'll be fine.”

Here are photos from Friday's 6A semifinal game:

All photos by Tommy Hays