Salado seniors Kevin Jackson, Justin Schiller, Johnny Nix, Matt Fritsch and Seth Collins and Granger’s Mike Holly and Alec Wade were named to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State teams.
Pitcher Jackson and catcher Schiller earned first-team Class 2A honors, shortstop Nix and third baseman Fritsch made the second team and center fielder Collins was named to the third team. The 32-6 Eagles captured Salado’s first-ever University Interscholastic League state baseball championship with a 12-8 victory over Corsicana Mildred.
Granger’s Wade was named Class A first-team third baseman, while Holly earned third-team honors as catcher.
Jackson, the District 25-2A Most Valuable Player, compiled an 11-2 record with a 1.72 earned-run average and 94 strikeouts and tossed the second no-hitter in 2A state tournament history when he blanked San Angelo Grape Creek 11-0 in the semifinals. He also hit .464 with four home runs and 43 runs batted in.
Schiller set Salado records with 11 homers and 56 RBI, batted .433 and scored 52 runs. He was named MVP of the 2A state title game, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and pitching two relief innings.
Nix caught fire offensively in the second half of the season and set a Salado record with 57 hits. He batted .439 and had 34 RBI, four homers and 53 runs.
Fritsch set a school record by scoring 55 runs, batted .434, had 19 doubles and stole 21 bases. Collins batted .427 and stole 24 bases while hitting in the leadoff position for most of the season.
Granger went unbeaten in winning the 27-A championship and finished 23-10. The Lions reached the Region IV title series - the longest playoff run in Granger baseball history - before losing to state finalist Flatonia.
Wade, the 27-A MVP, hit .453 with 36 RBI and 14 doubles. As a pitcher he was 7-2 with a 1.93 ERA and had just one loss against Class A competition. Holly batted .404 with 27 RBI.
cmeister@temple-telegram.com
