The baseball playoffs open this week and the quest begins to see if a team from the Coastal Bend can keep the streak of 16 straight trips to the state tournament alive.
It will not be easy but here are four teams outside of Class 5A with a shot at playing in Austin or Round Rock in early June.
Robstown — The Cotton Pickers made history with an undefeated run to a district title and have been playing stellar baseball all season long. Robstown has done everything right over the last few weeks and are driven by the three-game loss to Sinton in last year's Region IV-4A final.
Falfurrias — The Jerseys finished second in District 31-3A title and have shown themselves to be among the region’s best. Pitcher Royce Carrera is one of the area’s best players, regardless of classification, but the whole cast for Falfurrias is determined to make a deep run after last season’s disappointing, and controversial, loss to Georgetown Gateway Prep.
Bishop — The Badgers are back on track to make a second state appearance in four seasons after defeating district rival Falfurrias twice for the title. Expect them to contend deep and possibly play the Jerseys for a regional title.
Refugio — The Bobcats’ Jared Kelley has been a strikeout machine in district but the key for Refugio will be continuing to play consistently when he’s not on the mound. A minefield awaits in the region with teams such as Riviera and Thorndale but this might be the year the Bobcats' breakthrough.
HURLERS ABOUND
This week’s Class 4A softball playoffs feature match-ups between four of the best teams in South Texas, regardless of classification.
Beeville, who is ranked No. 1 in some polls, takes on a young Rockport-Fulton team while Cuero faces District 31-4A co-champion Orange Grove.
All four have stellar pitching in common.
Beeville’s combination of Saleen Flores and Aaliyah Ruiz are possibly the best Class 4A pitching combination in the state, Orange Grove’s Bea Lara led the area in strikeouts, Cuero’s Reagan Dunn has a win over Beeville this season and Rockport-Fulton’s Siarah Galvan pitched the Pirates to a sweep of Port Isabel last week.
Runs will come at a premium in these games and will be worth the price of admission.
FOUR CORPUS CHRISTI-AREA TEAMS TO WATCH IN BASEBALL PLAYOFFS AND LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
