Texas high school baseball playoffs: 2022 UIL Class 4A Baseball State Tournament preview, players to watch

SBLive Texas takes a closer look at the top players, storylines and x-factors to watch during the 2022 UIL Class 4A Baseball State Championships on Wednesday (June 8) and Thursday (June 9)

Andrew McCulloch | Jun 9, 2022

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.

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:

STATEWIDE TEXAS SCOREBOARD

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