Keller denied first UIL baseball state title as Rockwall-Heath scores late in 6A final
It was a magical season, but one that ultimately fell just short of their ultimate goal.
Keller wound up on the wrong end of a one-run game its UIL baseball championship against Rockwall-Heath Saturday evening. The Indians lost their Class 6A title game, 4-3, at Dell Diamond.
Keller had its chances for a breakthrough inning in all seven frames, but the Indians left nine runners on base. Rockwall-Heath senior Caden Fiveash drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the Hawks to the win.
Heath (38-11-1) won its second title in program history (2012) while the Indians (36-8) had snapped their 30-year state tournament drought. They knocked off two-time defending Class 6A state champ Southlake Carroll in the Region 1 final.
Keller was defeated by Klein Oak, 2-1, in the 1991 Class 5A semifinals during its only other state appearance.
“Felt like we had our chances. We were in so many situations looking for the big hit and just couldn’t get it today,” said coach Rob Stramp, in his 23rd season with Keller. “Looking for that one hit, one play, but it was a great game, tight game. Proud of the guys for what they accomplished. Tremendous accomplishments...it’s hard to get here. Just really proud of our team.
“Furthest any Keller team has gone in history. They believed until the very end. Just didn’t happen.”
The Indians put the lead-off batter on base in every inning and even put two on before the first out in multiple innings, but couldn’t get the big hit they desperately were looking for.
Tied at 3-3, Keller had two on and no outs in the top of the sixth, but Fiveash struck out the side.
Zach Rike singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth for the Hawks and advanced to third on a pop fly. He scored on Fiveash’s sacrifice to center that turned out to be the game-winning run.
Fivash (4-1) was voted championship game MVP pitching two relief innings, allowing two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Starter Jonny Lowe went five innings allowing five hits, one earned run with five walks and seven strikeouts.
Indians’ starter pitcher Robert Cranz (Wichita State) went three innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs with three walks and four strikeouts. Braden Davis finished the game for Keller going three innings with three hits, one run, three walks and one strikeout.
Cranz ran into early trouble in the bottom of the first inning giving up a pair of runs. While both teams got their first two batters on base in the first, it was Heath that was able to bring them home.
Heath put its first three on base after Kevin Bazzell’s RBI single drove home Karson Krowka for a 1-0 lead. The Hawks were gifted their second run. With runners on second and first, Keller was able to run down the man at first, but on the same play, the throw to third was wide and went into the dugout.
Keller would get one back in the top of the second. After Davis hit a lead-off single, he stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.
But Lowe bounced back by striking out the side.
The Indians took their first lead in the top of the third, 3-2, when Trey Orman led off the inning and advanced to second after the throw to first went high and into the dugout. He scored on an RBI single from Griffin Barton that tied the game. Barton scored from second two batters later on an RBI from Mike Dattalo to right center.
Keller’s lead didn’t last long when Heath scored a half inning later. Krowka drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third on two wild pitches. He tied the game on an RBI sac fly from Bazzell.
Both teams had their chance to score in the fourth.
Keller put its first two batters on base, but Lowe got a strikeout in between two ground outs.
“Having those opportunities and not getting them in, it’s very frustrating, but that’s baseball. It happens,” Stramp said. “I wanted [a title] more for them than for me.”
Heath got a lead-off single that forced Keller to make a switch from Cranz to Davis, who got the final three outs on Friday. The Hawks loaded the bases with one out, but Davis induced a ground out as Keller turned a 6-4-3 double play.
Davis and Todd Baffa led Keller with two hits apiece.
Jett Williams had a pair of hits for Heath.
“I’ll remember their togetherness and work ethic,” Stramp said. “They kill it in the weight room and prepare themselves to play at a high level. It just shows the dedication they have.
“Awesome senior group. Great bunch of guys. I think any teacher that has them in class would say that about them. Just a really outstanding group.”
This story was originally published June 12, 2021 at 7:08 PM.
