Baseball regional finals: Brock advances to state semifinal, more from area

The UIL Texas high school baseball regional finals are here.

See how Fort Wort Worth-area teams fared on Thursday, May 22.

Brock advances to state semifinals, downs Graham

Brock scored three times in the third and added three more in the seventh as pitcher Evan O’Connor shut down district rival Graham 7-0 in a one-game playoff to decide the Class 4A Division 2 regional final on Thursday, May 22, at Tarleton State University.

Brock (29-3), No. 5 in the state in Class 4A and a state finalist a year ago, awaits the winner of the Carthage-Longview Spring Hill series to face in the state semifinals next week. Graham’s season ends at 19-10.

O’Connor, an Arizona State commit, tossed 6.2 innings scattering three hits, walking four and striking out 11. O’Connor reached his pitch limit (111 pitches) and gave way to Jesse Rusinek, a Texas Tech pledge, who got the last out for the Eagles.

Rusinek got the big hit in the third inning with a single to right that scored two. Asa Parenteau had a clutch, two-out bases clearing double to left to highlight the seventh.

Southlake Carroll can’t find a rhythm in loss to Marcus

Southlake Carroll had several distractions heading into Game 1 of its Class 6A Division 2 regional final series against Flower Mound Marcus on Thursday, May 22. The Dragons never could get on track as Marcus took the opener 5-0 at Dallas Baptist University.

The game started an hour late after a Class 5A game that preceded it went to extra innings.

When the game was ready to start, Carroll starting pitcher Jack Fuller was jogging to the mound when he did something that he does every inning, jump over the base line on his way to the mound.

“He was just hopping over the base line, like he always does, and he felt something pop in his foot,” said Carroll coach Larry Vucan of Fuller, who took a few warm up pitches before limping to the dugout. “He went in and got it taped up, but when he went back out to try to throw a pitch he just couldn’t put any pressure on it.”

Max Roy came on to spell Fuller and was shaky to start allowing three runs on three hit batters and a single by Ryan San Miguel that drove in two. Roy, Caden Mackey and Cam Dean all performed well on the mound for the Dragons, but the Carroll bats went cold against Marcus starter Emerson McKnight.

Even though the game was delayed for about an hour after four innings due to lightning in the area, McKnight came back out and didn’t allow a hit until an infield single by Carroll’s Ashton Ybarra in the bottom of the sixth.

“You have to tip your cap to that kid on the changeup,” said Vucan of McKnight. “He had a very nice fastball changeup mix and did a really good job of keeping us off balance. Our kids didn’t see it and pick it up out of his hand very well.”

McKnight went all seven innings allowing three hits, with three walks, three hit batters and 10 strikeouts. Carroll (30-8-1) got a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the seventh from Cooper Newby and Cam Dean, but Tanner Carson flied out to deep center to end the threat.

Marcus (29-10) added two more runs in the top of the fifth on a single by Easton Mitchell, an RBI double by San Miguel and an RBI triple by Cole Schott.

Game 2 is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, May 23, back at DBU.

Boyd blanks New Diana to take series lead

Elijah Webber tossed six innings of one-hit ball and Landon Snider went 2-for-2 with a home run as Boyd blanked New Diana 9-0 in Game 1 of their Class 3A Division 2 regional final on Thursday, May 22, at Dallas Baptist University.

Game 2 between Boyd (32-5) and New Diana (26-8-1) is scheduled for noon on Friday, May 23, back at DBU. Boyd, No. 4 in the state in Class 3A according to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association, won the 3A state title in 2023 and made it to the regional final last season before bowing out.

Boyd led 3-0, but erupted for six runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game out of reach. Snider, who scored three runs and drove in two and walked, hit a two-run homer in the fourth. Jax Heid and Stephen Webber drove in two runs each in the sixth with singles.

Elijah Webber struck out six and walked one for the Yellowjackets. Hayden Miller pitched the seventh for Boyd allowing one hit and striking out one.

This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 1:05 AM.