Marion enters playoffs unbeaten
Bulldogs’ 23-0 mark among the area’s top storylines to watch
The foundation for Marion’s undefeated season started last year when the Bulldogs were eliminated by Corpus Christi London in two games in the regional semifinals.
With eight returning starters and nine seniors, the Bulldogs were eager to get 2022 started.
Since that doubleheader sweep on May 27, 2021, the Bulldogs have not dropped a game. Marion (23-0) enters the playoffs as the state’s only undefeated Class 3A team. Marion finished the regular season as the state’s No. 3 team in Texas High School Baseball wesbite rankings.
The Bulldogs open a best-ofthree first round series Friday against Ingram (4-13) at Boerne Champion.
“Our guys were hungry,” Marion coach Tim Tesch said. “Those nine seniors have done a great job of coming to practice every day working hard. … It’s a special group of kids running through Marion right now.”
The Bulldogs rolled to the District 26-3A championship with a 12-0 league mark. Nine of those wins were shutouts.
The senior pitching trio of Bryce Gonyer (9-0), Zach Halter (7-0) and Konnor Harborth (4-0) each posted 0.00 ERAS in district play. Gonyer has a team-leading 65 strikeouts in 44 innings, followed by Harborth (52 strikeouts in 44 innings) and Halter (35 strikeouts in 27 innings).
Senior catcher Jake Burris (.423) sports a teambest four home runs and 23 RBIS. Senior outfielder Cameron Baumann is hitting .473 with 23 RBIS, tied with Burris for team high.
Six of the Bulldogs’ regulars are hitting above .346. Senior shortstop Kallen Bek has recorded a team best eight doubles with a .353 average.
Before their dominant district run, the Bulldogs recorded some impressive victories to keep their undefeated season intact.
The first was a 7-2 win against Banquete, then the state’s No. 10 3A team, on March 5 at the Devine tournament. Six
days later, the Bulldogs downed reigning 3A state champion Malakoff 11-3 at the Blanco tournament.
“That set the tone,” Tesch said of the win over Malakoff.
The clincher was a 3-1 walkoff victory over 4A La Vernia powered by Burris’ two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth on March 22.
“That’s when it hit to the kids and the coaches that we have a chance to do something special,” Tesch said.
As great as the season has been so far, it won’t be easy getting out of the region.
In addition to No. 3 Marion, No. 6 London (1712) and No. 8 Blanco (22-1-1) are among the state’s topranked teams. Marion and Blanco could meet in the third round.
“It’s definitely not going to be an easy road, but that’s what makes baseball fun,” Tesch said. “You just never know what’s going to happen on any given day. We just have to go out there and play our best ball.”
Tough 6A brackets
The top half of the Region IV-6A brackets features some tough outs.
Reagan (23-5-2), ranked No. 8 by Texas High School Baseball, No. 11 Smithson Valley (24-4) and No. 9 Austin Westlake (24-5) are perched there.
Reagan opens with East Central (15-10). Smithson Valley plays Churchill (19-8), which won’t be an easy opponent despite its fourth-place finish in 28-6A.
Churchill split with Reagan in district and played No. 19 Johnson tough despite two losses (4-0, 4-3).
Westlake plays Cedar Park Vista Ridge (14-13-1). That winner plays Churchill or Smithson Valley in the second round.
On the other side of the bracket, Johnson (22-6) opens with New Braunfels (15-11).
Third-ranked Austin Lake Travis (25-4-3) could meet the Johnson-new Braunfels winner in the second round.
No. 17 Clark and No. 25 Stevens are also on the bottom part of the Region IV-6A bracket.
Boerne fights through adversity
The loss of senior pitcher Cole Phillips, an Arkansas signee who was projected to be a firstround MLB draft pick, to a season-ending arm injury hasn’t slowed down Boerne.
The Greyhounds (27-3) enter the playoffs as the state’s second-ranked 4A team. However, that doesn’t make things easy.
Ahead of the Greyhounds is Sinton (27-1), last year’s regional champion. Corpus Christi Calallen, another regional stalwart, is No. 3.
Boerne’s District 26-4A rival Canyon Lake (23-6), the only team to beat the Greyhounds in district play, is No. 11.
The good news for the Greyhounds is only Calallen is on the opposite side of the bracket, meaning any potential matchups with the Wildcats wouldn’t occur until the regional finals.
Phillips was 4-0 with 42 strikeouts in 232⁄3 innings before he was lost for the season.
Senior catcher and Texas State signee Rashawn Galloway is providing the offense for Boerne with a .574 average, five home runs and 41 RBIS — all team-highs. Junior outfielder Riley Pechacek is hitting .474 with four home runs.