Baseball

After a 27-year absence, Thrall returns to the state semifinals with sights on repeating history

By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

THRALL — None of the current players on Thrall’s baseball team were alive the last time the Tigers reached the state tournament.

In fact, some of the players’ parents may have been students at Thrall High School in 1998, when the Tigers defeated Collinsville to win the Class 1A state championship.

On Wednesday, Thrall will end a 27-year absence when it begins a Class 3A Division II best-of-three UIL state semifinal series against Orange Grove (22-10-1) at Northeast Sports Park in San Antonio.

Game 1 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday. Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Thursday. If necessary, Game 3 will be played at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Tigers (37-6-1) have yet to lose a game in the first four rounds of the playoffs.

Thrall swept Elkhart 15-1, 16-0 in the bi-district round, then defeated West 7-3, 6-3 in the area round. The Tigers beat Nacogdoches Central Heights 10-3, 9-7 in the regional semifinals, then topped Anderson-Shiro 3-0, 10-2 in last week’s regional championship series.

Thrall’s Hayden Heselmeyer is seen at practice on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at Tiger Field in Thrall, Texas as the Tigers get ready for the Class 3A Division II semifinals. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

Players say everything just started to click.

“We started off the season strong and got a few wins against some tough teams,” said senior Maverick McAllister. “We had a pretty tough district, but we all knew if we came together, we’d be really good in the playoffs — and it all just came together.”

Reaching the state semifinals is a bit of redemption after last year’s second-round loss to Mumford in the Class 2A playoffs.

Thrall may have its work cut out against Orange Grove.

The Bulldogs are also on a dominant playoff run, having dropped only the first game of a bi-district series against San Antonio Taft. Since then, Orange Grove has outscored its opponents 76-5 over eight games.

Still, head coach Justin Adams said the Tigers have one key advantage.

“Thrall is the ultimate family,” Adams said. “The proof is the fans we put in the stands. I’ll put our fans against anybody. They pack whatever field we play in, show up early, tailgate in the parking lot. Our fans have bought in just as much as our players have.”

Should the Tigers advance to next week’s state championship game at Dell Diamond, it’s a safe bet the entire town will make the short 20-mile drive west.