UIL baseball regional finals: Aledo moves on, Southlake Carroll falls, plus more
The UIL Texas high school baseball regional finals continued on Saturday, May 24.
See how Fort Worth-area teams fared.
Aledo run fest fuels Game 3 win over Colleyville Heritage
The Aledo baseball team had only scored a total of five runs in the first two games of its Class 5A Division I regional final with Colleyville Heritage. All of that changed in Game 3.
The Bearcats exploded for eight runs in the second inning and Luke Sandefur tossed 4.1 innings of four-hit ball as Aledo demolished the Panthers 13-2 in five innings to claim the Region I championship on Saturday, May 24, at Fort Worth Boswell High School.
Aledo (31-8), ranked No. 6 in the state in Class 5A by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association, advances to the state semifinals and a date next week with Region II champion McKinney North (19-12-1).
“The versatility in our offense is unreal,” said Aledo center fielder Brooks Burdine, who’s headed to the Air Force Academy to play baseball next season. “If we can’t come out here and hit the cover off the ball then we can play small ball. We get lucky sometimes and that’s what happened today.”
Brooks Burdine went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored out of the nine hole in the lineup. Brooks’ twin brother Blake Burdine, who’s set to play football for Trinity University in San Antonio in the fall, hits second in the order and was 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
The Bearcats sent 13 batters to the plate in the eight-run second inning with the Burdine brothers providing much of the punch. Brooks had a high chop over the third baseman’s head for a single driving in two and Blake had an almost identical high chopper over the third baseman’s head for a double driving in two more.
Every hitter in Aledo’s starting lineup had at least one hit except for catcher Brennon Evans, but Evans did walk and had an RBI on an error in the fifth inning.
“Things just clicked today,” said Aledo coach Chad Barry. “It can be hit or miss from day to day, but It seemed like we had quite a few kids that just got something going.”
Sandefur, a junior, said that he was nervous at the start, being the No. 3 pitcher and having the pressure of a Game 3, but that the early run support helped him breathe a little easier.
“It was a little nerve wracking, but I was confident,” said Sandefur, who struck out five and walked two. “I had confidence in my team and my defense. It wasn’t one of my best days, but I’m just glad we won.”
No. 1 Grapevine rallies to sweep Lubbock-Cooper
Grapevine rallied from two runs down to score seven times in the bottom of the sixth to shock Lubbock-Cooper 13-8 and sweep the Class 5A Division II regional final on Saturday, May 24, at Brownwood High School.
Grapevine (33-3), the top-ranked team in the state in Class 5A according to the THSBCA, will have another challenge in the state semifinals when the Mustangs face No. 3 Lucas Lovejoy (31-6).
Gianni Corral blasted a three-run home run to left in the fifth inning to cut the Pirates’ lead to 7-6 after Lubbock-Cooper had put up a six spot in the top of the fourth. Corral finished going 2-for-4 at the plate with the three runs batted in and a run scored.
Zack Goldstein tied the game at 8-8 in the sixth with a ground out to third that scored Brady Boozer, who had doubled earlier in the inning. Lale Esquivel followed with a single to center that drove in two to take a 10-8 lead.
Lale Esquivel went 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBI. Luke Esquivel was 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored.
Keller falls in Game 3 to Prosper
The late inning offensive magic that Keller found in Game 2 of their Class 6A Division I regional final series with Prosper just never materialized in Game 3. Prosper got off to a quick start and never let the Indians in the game as the Eagles took Game 3 and the series from Keller 7-0 on Saturday, May 24, at Dallas Jesuit High School.
Prosper (32-9-1), No. 10 in the state in Class 6A according to the THSBCA, will represent Region I in the state semifinals when the Eagles take on Region II champion Waco Midway (30-7) next week.
Prosper jumped on Keller starter Cameron Ireland from the onset. Catcher Luke Billings, a Texas A&M commit, led off with a home run to left field and the Eagles scored four times in the top of the first, before Logan Brown came on in relief to get the final two outs of the inning.
Brown allowed at least one base runner each inning he pitched, but didn’t allow another run until the fifth when the Eagles added on two more on a bases-loaded infield single by Caleb Sandusky that upped the lead to 6-0.
Keller (32-10) just couldn’t solve Prosper starting pitcher Hunter Vincent, who allowed just two hits over six innings of work with four walks and eight strikeouts. Vincent, a senior, decommitted from Oral Roberts University last week to reopen his recruitment.
Keller loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the seventh on a sharp single to right by Jon Frey, a walk to Alex Stumm and a catcher’s interference call on Shaun White. But Dylan Struwe, who came on in relief of Vincent, got a weak grounder to second to end the game.
Southlake Carroll ousted by Flower Mound Marcus
When Southlake Carroll pitcher Jack Fuller had to leave due to a foot injury before the start of Game 1 of the Dragon’s Class 6A Division II regional final with Flower Mound Marcus, one would have to wonder if Carroll would have enough pitching left to win the series.
Turns out they didn’t.
Carroll, No. 2 in the state in Class 6A according to the THSBCA, was shut out in Game 1, 5-0, but did manage to come back to take Game 2, 9-2. But No. 6 Marcus jumped all over the five pitchers that the Dragons ran out to the mound in Game 3.
The Marauders scored four times in the first inning and that turned out to be enough as Marcus defeated Carroll 13-3 in six innings on Saturday, May 24, at Dallas Baptist University to take the series and advance to the state semifinals. Marcus (30-11) will face Tomball (32-6-1) next week for a chance to reach the championship game.
Caden Mackey was the most effective of the Carroll pitchers, tossing 2.1 innings of no-hit, no-run ball, getting the last out in the first inning and rolling through the second and third frames.
Marcus tacked on three runs in the fourth and exploded for six more in sixth to put the game away.
Marauders’ starter Logan Lawson was solid allowing three earned runs on four hits with five walks and three strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Lawson hit his pitch limit so Cesar Bustamante came on to get the final out for Marcus.
This story was originally published May 25, 2025 at 12:16 AM.