2018 Top 25 Stories in Texas High School Baseball

From Baseball State Championships to personal achievements to national recognition, Texas High School Baseball made news in 2018. THSB has put together a 2018 Top 25 Stories of Texas High School Baseball. 

1. Argyle Finishes Season at 37-0 to Become First Undefeated Team in UIL since 2003 

It started out on February 24 with double-header victories over Chisolm Trail in a last-minute schedule change after having to cancel the Argyle Tournament because of rain. It ended on June 7 with a 5-0 victory over Sweeny in the 4A State Championship Game. 37 games, 37 victories. It was the first time that a UIL team has finished the season undefeated since 2003 when the Lorena Leopards went 31-0. Only two other UIL teams have finished undefeated, Colmesneil (23-0) in 1986 and South San Antonio (35-0) in 1967. Argyle now holds the record for the most wins in an undefeated season. 

2. Argyle Finishes Season as #1 Ranked Team in 2 National Polls 

Although they are a 4A school, Argyle’s accomplishments this year have been impressive enough to earn them a #1 National Ranking in 2 of the 4 National Polls—Max Preps and Collegiate Baseball. Currently, they are ranked #2 by USA Today and Perfect Game. For the season, Argyle finished 37-0 with 21 shutouts and 20 games that ended in the 10-run mercy rule. They were 3-0 against 6A teams including Waco Midway and Sachse, who both won district titles. They were 9-0 against 5A teams with 6 of those wins coming against teams who made the 5A playoffs. They outscored their opponents 328-44. 

3. Calallen’s Steve Chapman Reaches 1000 Wins 

Calallen Head Baseball Coach Steve Chapman picked up his 1000th win on March 20th with a 7-0 win over Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway. Chapman became the 2nd coach in Texas high school baseball history to reach 1,000 wins. He joins former Lubbock Monterey legend Bobby Moegle, who finished his 40-season career with more than 1,100 victories. Chapman also is the 22nd coach in the United States to reach 1,000 wins. He has won three state championships at Calallen. Calallen was the #1 seed out of the 11-team 30-5A district this year and made it to the Regional Quarterfinals. Chapman finished the season with 1016 wins. 

4. Northwest Eaton Grabs 5A State Championship Title in only 2nd Year of Varsity Baseball 

In just their second year of playing varsity baseball, Northwest Eaton won the 5A State Championship Title, beating Forney 4-1. This was the 6th appearance at the State Tournament for Forney. Eaton opened its doors in August, 2015 and played a junior varsity season the following spring. This year’s Senior Class was the first graduating class. Eaton finished last year with a record of 16-16, placing 6th in the district. They returned everyone from last year’s team but no one predicted this quick of a rise to baseball prominence. 

5. Lake Travis’ Brett Baty Named Texas Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year 

Brett Baty, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior third baseman and right-handed pitcher was selected as the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. Baty led Lake Travis (31-7) to the Class 6A regional quarterfinals this past season. Baty hit .435 (37-for-85) with 12 home runs, 27 RBI and 43 runs scored. He had a .953 slugging percentage, walked 38 times and compiled an on-base percentage of .622. Baty also went 4-0 on the mound with a save and a 1.35 ERA, striking out 38 batters while yielding just 13 walks and 16 hits over 33.1 innings pitched. He was named the 25-6A Most Valuable Player in 2017 and 2018. 

6. Mason Englert Breaks THSB Consecutive Scoreless Innings Record 

Forney’s Mason Englert pitched 55.1 scoreless innings this year, breaking the Texas High School Baseball record of 55 scoreless innings held by former Major Leaguer and Texas High School phenom David Clyde. Englert tied the record earlier by pitching 5.2 scoreless innings in a win against Marshall. In the next game against Frisco Reedy, Englert struck out the first batter to set the state record. He then gave up 2 straight doubles and the streak ended at 55.1 innings. Englert was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 4th round. 

7. Grayson Rodriguez, Jordan Groshans Drafted in the 1st Round of the MLB Draft 

THSB had 2 players taken in the 1st Round of the MLB Draft. Grayson Rodriguez, a RHP from 3A Central Heights, was drafted with the 11th pick by the Baltimore Orioles and Jordan Groshans, a 3B/SS from 5A Magnolia was drafted right after him with the 12th pick by the Toronto Blue Jays. Rodriguez signed with Orioles for $4.3 million and Groshans signed with the Blue Jays for $3.4 million. 

8. DFW Metroplex Dominates Baseball State Championship Titles 

The continuing rivalry between the DFW Metroplex and the Houston Metro area for sports dominance was won by the DFW Metroplex for the 2018 THSB season. In recent times, the Houston Metro Area has had more titles in the baseball arena, winning both the 6A and 5A State Titles in 2017. But in the 2018 baseball season, the DFW Metroplex took all of the larger school titles. Southlake Carroll won the 6A Title, Northwest Eaton the 5A Title, Argyle the 4A title and Argyle Liberty Christian the TAPPS Division 1 Title. 

9. Santa Fe Baseball Team Continues Playoff Series after Tragic School Shooting 

Game 2 of the Kingwood Park/Santa Fe Regional Quarterfinal series was postponed Friday evening, May 11 after a tragic school shooting at Santa Fe that Friday morning. 10 people were killed in the shooting including 9 students. Sophomore Pitcher Rome Shubert, who was the starting pitcher in Game 1 the previous inning, was injured but was OK after being shot in the back of the head. Game 2 was played Saturday evening with Kingwood Park winning 7-0. The Deer Park baseball facility was packed with supporters from the surrounding communities at the game. 

10. 3A State Title Game Ties Record for Most Innings in a State Championship Game 

It was a classic showdown in the 3A State Championship Game as the Beckville Bearcats battled the Clifton Cubs for 10 innings. In the bottom of the 7th inning, with Clifton leading 4-3, Beckville got 2 quick outs. But a couple of hits and an error later, Beckville tied the game. They fought until the bottom of the 10th, when Beckville scored on a bases-loaded error, winning the championship in walk-off fashion. The 10-inning game tied for the longest championship game in UIL history, tying the mark when Anderson Shiro beat Gilmer Union Hill in 2006. 

11. Dallas Carter and Dalhart break 16-year playoff droughts 

12. Lake Travis Starts Season at 25-0, Holds #1 National Ranking for Weeks 

13. Ivan Melendez, Stacey Bailey, Broch Holmes Are THSB Home Run Leaders with 15 Home Runs 

14. Southlake Carroll Wins First 6A State Baseball Championship 

15. Dallardsville Big Sandy Wins 2A State Championship in Title Game Rematch with Muenster 

16. Bellaire Episcopal Wins 2nd Consecutive SPC Title 

17. Argyle Liberty Christian Wins TAPPS Division I State Championship, 4th Baseball State Title Overall 

18. Numerous Houston and Corpus Christi Area Schools Rebuild Baseball Facilities after Hurricane Harvey 

19. San Antonio Reagan Comes Up Short in 6A State Championship Game Second Year in a Row 

20. El Paso Faith Christian Wins TAPPS Division IV State Championship in First Year with TAPPS.  Title Stripped after Discovery of Inegilble Player

21. New Braunfels Christian Academy Finishes 20-0, Wins TAPPS Division V Championship 

22. Lutheran South Academy Captures TAPPS Division II State Championship with Freshman Pitcher on the Mound 

23. Slocum Wins First Ever Baseball Championship in Capturing 1A State Title 

24. Cypress Christian Follows Football State Championship with TAPPS Division III Baseball Championship 

25. Former Jersey Village Coach Mike Maddox and Former Belton Coach David Tidwell Inducted into THSBCA Hall of Fame