Two-way LSU pledge leads Aledo baseball’s quest for championship repeat
Lucas Nawrocki’s junior season at Aledo High School couldn’t have gone much better.
He led the Bearcats to their first state championship since 2014, averaging .515 at the plate en route to Star-Telegram Offensive Player of the Year honors. Over the summer, he committed to LSU baseball, an eight-time national champion.
Now, Nawrocki and the Bearcats are on the quest for back-to-back state titles. They’re rolling toward the District 5-5A championship with an 8-0 district and 28-4 overall record.
“Every time we step on the field, you’re going to get everybody’s best shot,” Aledo head coach Chad Barry said. “You have a target on your back. And I think they’ve kind of embraced that motto, and said, ‘We want everybody’s best shot,’ and we want to rise to the occasion each and every time.”
To Barry, the quest to defend a state title versus winning the first in over a decade is both similar and different. In the end, Aledo wants to play the best baseball possible, focusing on the next game and gradual improvement.
“I think last year’s team felt like they had the talent to go in it, and then they did,” Barry said. “And this year’s team feels like they have the talent to be able to do the same thing. And they’re on a mission. They want to be the first team in Aledo history to repeat.”
One of the shining points thus far has been Nawrocki finding another level as a pitcher. After only tossing a few innings as a junior, and not being able to throw in the postseason because of injury, he is now a consistent two-way player and leads Aledo with 30 1/3 innings pitched. He has allowed three earned runs on the season.
“He’s been one of our top two guys all year long,” Barry said. “He’s been really, really consistent. He’s kept his walks down and his [velocity] is up. He does a great job of competing when he’s out there. He takes a lot of pride in what he does, and he works on his craft daily.”
At the plate, he is better than ever with a team-high .600 batting average. He also has team highs in on-base percentage (.735) and slugging (1.050). His at-bats are down with more responsibility on the mound, but he has made the most of his chances.
“He’s sharpened his approach, but he’s even become more patient and knowing what pitchers are trying to do to him,” Barry said. “ … He’s gotten on base a lot. When he hits it, he hits it a ton. And usually, if he’s not hitting it, he’s walking. ... If he’s on base, and then those pitchers are having to, instead of pitching around, they’re having to challenge the other hitters around him in lineup.”
As a team, Aledo’s offense isn’t packed with star power, but it does the little things right, like small ball, base running and taking advantage of runners in scoring position, while other aspects of the game lead the way.
“They still rely on their pitching and their defense more than anything,” Barry said. “And our pitching is just as good, or even better than it was last year. So, we haven’t missed a beat there. Our defense is still really good.”
On Tuesday, Aledo faced its toughest district challenge against a capable Granbury squad – it gives a preview as to what playoff competition could be like. The Bearcats stayed undefeated in district with a 5-1 victory.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” Barry said. “We’ve been waiting for a district rival. An opponent that is the same record as us in district. … A pretty good chance this one this week decides a district championship. And so if you can’t get excited about that this time of year, might need to check your pulse a little bit, but at the same time, we tell them, it’s the next game — that’s the most important game of the season.”
Four district games remain before Aledo starts its playoff run in the bi-district round. The Bearcats will aim to clinch a share of the district title at 7 p.m. Friday at Granbury High School.
This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
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