With another successful season almost nearly wrapped up, the Gunter Tigers baseball team is set for the program's 10th appearance at UIL State-- third in four seasons. As they gear up to take on Franklin in the state semifinals, VYPE DFW takes a look at the team and what fans can expect moving forward:
So Far
Ready to put hard work to the test right out of the gate this season, Gunter went on a 15-game win streak through non-district play against other programs who have their own reputations in the area. Downing the likes of Prosper, Panther Creek, Kimball, Aubrey, Denison, North Garland, and others through their non-district schedule, athletes like Walker Overman, Brock Boddie, Cade Dodson, Colson Wood, Brooks Griggs-Bell, Jarrett Waggoner, Carter Layton, Jordan Villagrana, Jake Ivey, and others made sure that they were prepared for a district schedule that had the potential to challenge them.
With no doubt and zero hesitation, the Gunter Tigers shut out teams in eight of their 12 district matchups while posting an undefeated 12-0 district record; finishing at the top of their district standings. Defeating Bells, Leonard, Pottsboro, Howe, Blue Ridge, and more in dominating fashion helped the Tigers finish their regular season without a single loss against their opponents and head into the postseason on a high note.
With their only loss coming in the postseason, the Tigers have been able to play with resiliency and strength as they took down Grand Saline (16-3, 11-0), Ponder (1-0), Edgewood (3-0, 1-2, 4-0), Tatum (9-2), and Boyd (3-1, 3-2) before punching their ticket to the state tournament for the 10th time.
What To Expect
Gearing up to play against Franklin should prove to be a feat that the Tigers are up to. Franklin boasts a 33-5 overall record this season with tough athletes like Blake Autrey, Dylan Stallones, Josh Atomanczyk, and others, but Gunter has faced several talented teams that didn't even begin to phase them this season. Fans can expect hard hitters to come to the plate as Gunter enters their state semifinal matchup. Excellent hitting paired with phenomenal pitching and a smooth defense is sure to power Gunter to the state finals where they would play the winner of Corpus Christi London and fellow-DFW area team Brock should they advance!