UIL baseball state championship preview: Aledo, Keller, more aim for titles
The UIL Texas high school baseball state championships are almost here, and several Fort Worth-area squads will aim for state titles at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
Keller to compete for first state title
Keller (39-4-2) will face Austin Lake Travis (32-11-1) at noon Saturday in the Class 6A Division I state championship.
The Indians will compete for their first baseball state championship in their first state title appearance since the 2021 season, when they lost 4-3 to Rockwall Heath. Lake Travis is also searching for its first state title.
In the state semifinals, Keller lost Game 1 5-2 but bounced back with 4-0 and 7-6 victories over Round Rock to advance.
One player to keep an eye on is Cole Koneninger, a Tennessee pledge who has been a force on the mound and at the plate. He is hitting above .400 and has been Keller’s ace; against Rockwall, he conceded no earned runs and struck out eight in a complete game. In Game 3, he exited early after being hit by a pitch in the hand.
Aledo looks to repeat as champions
Aledo (38-2) will face Lake Creek (26-17) at 4 p.m. Friday in the Class 5A Division I state championship with program history on the line.
With a win, Aledo will seize the team’s first championship repeat. LSU signee Lucas Nawrocki, an elite left-hander with an 11-0 record, is set to start for the Bearcats. Nawrocki is also a standout on offense with a .522 average in the playoffs.
Aledo has won two state championships (2014, 2025). The Bearcats made it to the state tournament in 2015 with a chance to repeat, but fell to Georgetown in the state semifinals.
Aledo will enter the state championship on a 12-game win streak and has yet to lose a playoff game. The Bearcats were in trouble against McKinney North in the state semifinals, but a seventh-inning go-ahead grand slam from Nawrocki helped keep the streak alive.
Lake Creek will make its first title game appearance.
Brock sets sights on first title since 2008
A move to Class 4A in the last UIL realignment cycle hasn’t stopped Brock baseball from being a consistent powerhouse.
The Eagles have made six state tournament appearances since 2018 and 10 in total. Brock (32-6) will take on Robinson (29-10) at noon Friday in the Class 4A Division II state championship.
The Eagles won their sole state title in 2006, back when they were in Class 2A. Their last state title appearance came in 2024, when they fell 7-4 to Franklin in the Class 3A title game.
In 2026, Brock has shown solid resilience, dropping Game 1 of multiple playoff series and responding (Canyon in the regional semifinals and Frisco Panther Creek in the state semifinal).
Keep an eye out for Brock pitcher Evan O’Connor, an Arizona State pledge, who has posted a 12-0 record and also has a solid .375 batting average.
Robinson will make its first title game appearance since the 2017 season.
Boyd continues dominant run
Boyd has been a staple in the UIL Texas high school baseball playoffs and is back in the mix in 2026.
Boyd (38-3) is set to face Corpus Christi London (33-7-1) at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Class 3A Division I state championship. The Yellowjackets are aiming for their first state title since 2023 and second overall.
In 2025, Boyd made the state semifinals and lost to Wall, the eventual state champion, in three games. Keep an eye on pitcher Will McIntire, a junior Texas A&M pledge who has a 12-1 record and a .425 batting average.
Boyd’s sole playoff loss came in Game 2 of the state semifinals against Gunter.
The Jackets will have their hands full with London, a squad that has made six consecutive state tournaments. London will compete for its third title in five seasons.
Paradise aims to cap dominant season with title
Paradise aims to cap dominant season
Paradise (37-5) will face Franklin (35-2-2) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Class 3A Division II state championship.
Win or lose, the Panthers will make program history by appearing in their first title game. They’ve had a standout season behind pitchers Colton Walker and Jake Ryan, who have a combined 22 wins.
Paradise won the District 10-3A championship, defeating state power Boyd twice (7-1, 10-0). Franklin is looking for its second overall title; the team last won in 2024.
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