When the UIL shrank District 26-6A from nine to seven teams in its latest round of redistricting, they moved out Buda Johnson and Anderson, both of whom are in this year’s playoffs from their new districts. Like a Red Giant star shrunk to a Brown Dwarf, the slimmed down district still maintained much of its power. That power was simply concentrated around perennial playoff contenders Westlake and Lake Travis, usually joined by Dripping Springs and Bowie.
In other words, not much changed.
Case in point is this year’s 26-6A baseball race – with a twist. For the first time in a while, someone not named “Westlake” or “Lake Travis” began the season with the biggest target on its back. Preseason favorite Dripping Springs will end the regular season trying to overtake Westlake and grab the district title when they clash in one of this week’s VYPE Series Spotlights.
Dripping Springs punched above its weight in 2024, apparently not realizing that a team loaded with juniors shouldn’t post a 26-11 record and reach the second round of the 6A playoffs. With virtually the entire starting lineup back, including a pitching staff anchored by Taylor Tracey (26-6A MVP, 1st Team All-State) and Cooper Rummel (26-6A Pitcher of the Year), along with seniors Connor Helms, Tristan Ciechanowicz, Traigh Perry, Dominic Hurley, Jack Tyndall, and Gavin Hoel, expectations were understandably soaring heading into this year’s campaign. Coach Chris Payne’s Tigers (18-8, 8-2) held their own at the prestigious Five Tool Tournament to start the season. Like Westlake, they split with Lake Travis in district play where their one unforced error was a loss to Austin High last month. That loss means they must sweep the Chaps to claim at least a piece of the district title.
Speaking of Westlake, it’s not as if the Chaps were awful last season. In fact, a lot of teams would love to go 19-11, as Coach J.T. Blair’s 2024 squad did. Unfortunately, seven of those losses were in district play, which was enough to keep Westlake out of last year’s playoffs. Like their rivals from the Hill Country, Westlake returned a healthy core of seasoned ballplayers, including All-District standouts Jack Casteel and Holland Page and seniors Luke Nogalski, Evan Lung and Hudson Byrd. An unheralded pitching staff has helped power Westlake to a 21-4-1 overall record, 9-1 in district play.
Both Westlake and Dripping Springs are locked into Division 2 for the playoffs, making this series important for seeding purposes – but both want that district title. Should Lake Travis sweep Austin High this week, Dripping Springs must sweep Westlake to keep pace and claim a share of the title; the Chaps can accomplish the same thing with a split – or win the title outright with a sweep.
Game 1 will be tomorrow (4/22) from Tigers Field at Dripping Springs High School before the series moves to the Westlake High School Baseball Diamond on Friday (4/25). VYPE Live will broadcast both games, courtesy of the Dripping Springs Baseball Booster Club and sponsors.
What: Dripping Springs vs. Westlake
When: Tuesday 4/22 and Friday 4/25 (7:15 Pregame, 7:30 First Pitch)
Where: Dripping Springs HS & Westlake HS
Who: Melvin Jones
Watch:https://www.vype.com/ AND http://vypelive.com/web/broadcast/index
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