Class 2A state champion Salado had six all-state selections and Melvin Bates was voted Coach of the Year on the Texas Sports Writers Association All-State teams.
Catcher Justin Schiller, first baseman Kevin Jackson and outfielder Seth Collins earned first-team honors. Jackson also received second-team honors as a pitcher, and shortstop Johnny Nix also made the second team. Third baseman Matt Fritsch was an honorable mention selection. All of the players were seniors.
Granger, a Class A Region IV finalist, had three honorable-mention selections - pitchers Kenny Sifuentes and Alec Wade and catcher Mike Holly.
In 3A, Rockdale junior catcher Nic Hammett received an honorable mention.
Georgetown senior pitcher Taylor Jungmann - who helped lead Rogers to the 2A state title in 2007 - was voted 5A Co-Player of the Year. Jungmann, a Texas signee who was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels, had a 14-0 record.
Jackson, who tossed a no-hitter in Salado’s state semifinal win over San Angelo Grape Creek, went 11-2 with a 1.72 earned-run average. He also hit .464 with four home runs and drove in 43 runs.
Schiller, MVP of the state title game, established Salado records by hitting 11 homers and driving in 56 runs. He also batted .433 and scored 52 runs.
Collins, the Eagles’ leadoff hitter for most of the season, hit .427 and stole 24 bases.
Nix set a school record with 57 hits. He also batted .439, hit four home runs, scored 53 runs and had 34 RBI.
Fritsch established a Salado record by scoring 55 runs. He also batted .434, hit 19 doubles and stole 21 bases.
Both Jackson and Schiller were first-team selections on the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association all-state team, Nix and Fritsch were on the second team and Collins was on the third team.
In his 23rd season at Salado, Bates guided the Eagles to their second state tournament appearance and first baseball title.
Granger, the undefeated District 27-A champion, made the school’s longest playoff run before losing to state finalist Flatonia in the Region IV championship series. A big reason for the Lions’ historic run was the pitching duo of Sifuentes and Wade.
Wade, a senior right-hander, was the 27-A MVP and was named to the first team at third base on the coaches’ all-state team. He was 7-2 with a 1.93 ERA.
Siftuentes, a junior right-hander, finished 10-2, including a one-hitter against D’Hanis in the Region IV semifinals.
Wade batted .404 with 27 RBI. He was selected to the third team on the coaches’ all-state team.
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
