What a difference a year makes
Chase Keng improved his batting average by 166 points from last year. Deer Park went from nationally ranked regional finalist a year ago to state champion — and it’s no coincidence.
“He drove in 60 runs, so (his improvement) was absolutely huge for us,” coach Chris Rupp said. “His run production went up tremendously. He drove in 60, he had (63) hits, and he scored a lot of runs. “So his offensive production skyrocketed.” The 6-1 outfielder, who signed with UTSA, supplied a signature performance against rival La Porte, going 3-for-4 with eight RBIs and two home runs in a 17-3 win that broke a tie for the District 22-6A championship and No. 1 playoff seed — then stayed hot all the way to Round Rock.
Keng, a first-team all-district pick, finished with a .438 batting average, 42 runs scored, 21 doubles, 11 triples and four homers, securing the Chronicle’s All-Greater Houston Hitter of the Year award. Last season, he batted .272 — with only 14 RBIs. “You put the work in with these kids, and when you can see that much improvement, it’s a great feeling because you know that you’re doing things correctly,” Rupp said. “It really verifies what you’re trying to teach is the right thing, and it’s actually helping your players be successful.”
Q: How long have you been playing baseball?
A: “I’ve been playing since I was about 4, and most of the guys who were on this team played together or against each other since we were 4, and then we started to team up. So we’ve been together for a while, and we had a lot of chemistry this year.”
Q: What do you love about the game?
A: “It’s awesome. People always say it’s the best game there is, and I completely agree with that. I love to hit, I love to play the outfield — it’s all just really fun.”
Q: You made a big leap at the plate, including raising your slugging percentage from .420 last year to .757. What was the key to your improvement?
A: “Last year and the year before, I mainly pulled the ball, so this year my whole goal was to try to work the other way, stay behind the ball, get on time with everyone and recognize pitches better.”
Q: How much time goes into becoming a better hitter?
A: “I worked five days a week, at least, to get my swing where I wanted it to be this year, and that really helped out.”
Q: How satisfying is it to have a great individual season and help your team win a state championship in the process?
A: “It’s awesome, but I couldn’t have done it without the guys who got on in front of me and kept innings alive.” Q: What was the feeling after recording the last out in the 7-2 win over San Antonio Reagan in the Class 6A final?
A: “It’s indescribable. It’s the best feeling of my entire life. Nothing compares to it.”
Q: Did you celebrate when you got home?
A: “When we came home, we pulled in about 1:30 (a.m.), and there was a huge crowd here at the stadium waiting on us, so we hung out here for a while.”
Q: What was it like having so many people in the community rooting for you?
A: “It’s awesome. The community gave us so much support the entire year — all the way through the playoffs, all the way up to state. Everybody was there, and for them to be back here waiting for us when we got back was cool. And we’ve still got a lot more. We’ve got a parade and a lot of other stuff they’re doing for us.”
Q: How much will you miss playing high school baseball?
A: “I’m going to miss it a ton. I honestly think we had the best coaching staff in the entire state, maybe the country. These guys are awesome. And playing with my friends — nothing beats it.”
Q: Are you looking forward to the next chapter of your baseball career at UTSA?
A: “I can’t wait. It’s going to be awesome. I love their campus. It’s in an awesome part of San Antonio, and I just can’t wait to play more baseball.”