Week 8 Recap & Top Performers (2026)
Top TEAMS LOndon & Vets play a close one | other intriguing matchups
Pretty crazy that there is only two weeks left of the regular season! We are getting a good idea of how districts are shaking out for playoffs. The fun part is figuring out who will fall D1 and D2 for the playoffs.
I went to check out the game of the week, a non-district contest between two of the top teams in the state that are just down the road from each other- 5A CC Vets visiting 3A CC London at London. The final score ended up being 2-0 in favor of Vets, but the game was close the whole way. Julian Colsa had an RBI Triple early, and Jordan Garza hit a solo bomb to put the Eagles up 2-0. London had runners on multiple times, but just couldn't find that timely hit to score.
Worth noting- I really liked what I saw on the mound from both teams. London LHP (2028) Crosby Zeller went 5 IP, only giving up 2 Hits and 2 Earned Runs. That's not bad at all facing one of the better lineups in the state. He walked 1 and struck out 7. Really good performance from a young arm. Jordan Garza, Dallas Baptist Commit, (2026) threw 2.1 IP and struck out 3, only giving up 1 hit. Lee Yeager's plan was to split the pitching up regardless of how the game went, due to the Eagles having the week off from district play. Jon Reyes went 3.2 IP and struck out 3, while DJ Garcia came in to close it, going 1 IP with 0 hits and 1 strikeout.
This was a great game to watch. London is not afraid of the smoke, and that is evident with them having a matchup with 4A-#1 Calallen at home on Saturday at 2:00 pm. Their playoff prep continues with a home game against Sinton the following week. Pirates are doing all they can to get ready for another deep playoff run.
In 6A, Laredo United South had a tough week, getting swept by Medina Valley in a couple of close ones. That pushed 5A Mission Sharyland to the top of our Laredo/RGV rankings. In local 5A action, we have a series that will likely decide the district champion between Veterans Memorial and Ray. Both of those games will be at Cabaniss field this week. Vets is coming off a good win against London, while Ray has been hot, winning 13 of their last 14, and 12 straight. Something has to give! Let's see how it goes this week. It looks like Flour Bluff and Alice are the two teams fighting for that fourth playoff spot.
Finally, in 4A action, we get the rivalry rematch between Top-10 teams Calallen and Tuloso-Midway. Calallen took game one by an 8-0 final at TM, so let's see if the Warriors can score some runs on the road this week.
WEEK 8 POWER RANKINGS
Coastal Bend Large School & RGV With no change. Bishop creeps just outside of the top 5 with a huge win over London.
College Spotlight - Jaquae Stewart, Texas State (D1) 3 Home Runs vs. Troy
He's back! This guy has been on an absolute tear, specifically last week. in a total of 5 games, Stewart had the following stat line:
19 AB | 5 RS | 8 H | 17 RBI | 5 HR | 1 BB | .421 Avg on the week, and a .306 Avg on the season. Wow!
Not much else needs to be said. Stewart carried the Bobcat offense last week, with a bomb against Texas A&M that helped them get a W, followed by a an 8-RBI, 3-HR game against Troy on Saturday. Just insanity. This guy rakes, but we knew that! Look for him to stay hot as the Bobcats continue in Sun Belt Conference play.
Jaquae Stewart has been on a tear for Texas State Baseball
Pro Spotlight - Jared Kelley, Chicago White Sox RHP (AA)
The spotlight falls on former Refugio Bobcat Jared Kelley. Kelley is back in Birmingham (AA) to start the season for Chicago. He has played in Triple-A before, so I have hope that he will be promoted if he pitches well early on. Kelley was the 47th overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft straight out of high school, drafted in the 2nd round by Chicago. For a good read on Kelley and some in-depth analysis of his time as a pro, check out this article by South Side Sox.
Jared Kelley looks to have a solid season, starting in Birmingham
Notable performances from - April 6th to April 11th
Teams of the Week-4A/5A/6A
6A - La Joya (2-0)
6A - PSJA (2-0)
5A - Victoria East (2-0)
5A - Victoria West (2-0)
5A - Mission Sharyland (2-0)
5A - Sharyland Pioneer (2-0)
5A - PSJA North (2-0)
5A - Alice (2-0)
5A - Brownsville Rivera (2-0)
5A - Corpus Christi Ray (2-0)
5A - Roma (2-0)
5A - Rio Grande City (2-0)
5A - Gregory-Portland (2-0)
5A - La Joya Palmview (2-0)
5A - Mission Veterans (2-0)
5A - Weslaco East (2-0)
5A - Edcouch Elsa (2-0)
4A - Sinton (3-0)
4A - Uvalde (2-0)
4A - Calallen (2-0)
4A - Hidalgo (2-0)
4A - Port Lavaca (2-0)
4A - Beeville (2-0)
4A - Tuloso-Midway (2-0)
4A - Pleasanton (2-0)
4A - Valley View (2-0)Teams of the Week 2A/3A/TAPPS
3A - Orange Grove (2-0)
3A - Taft (2-0)
3A - Bishop (2-0)
3A - Falfurrias (2-0)
3A - Raymondville (2-0)
3A - Mathis (2-0)
3A - Odem (2-0)
3A - Hebbronville (2-0)
3A - Lyford (2-0)
2A - Agua Dulce (2-0)
2A - Refugio (2-0)
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4A/5A/6A Pitchers of the Week
CC Ray | Orlando Ruiz | 1GP 1W 5.1IP 6H 0R 0ER 3BB 6K’s
CC Ray | Jarron Sandoval | 1GP 1W 5.1IP 4H 2R 0ER 1BB 5K’s
Victoria West | Aiden Deleon | 1GP 1W 6IP 0H 1R 0ER 2BB 15K’s
Victoria East | Roman Gonzalez | 1GP 1W 5IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 7K’s
Victoria East | Andrew Alvarado | 1GP 1W 5IP 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 11K’s
Tuloso-Midway | Pat Acosta | 1GP 1W 7IP 3H 0R 0ER 0BB 15K’s
Tuloso-Midway | Jaden Smith | 1GP 1W 5IP 4H 1R 0ER 4BB 6K’s
Robstown | Christian Moreno | 1GP 1L 6IP 4H 2R 2ER 4BB 4K’s
Pleasanton | Marcos Guardiola | 1GP 1W 6.1IP 0H 2R 0ER 3BB 11K’s
CC Moody | Ernesto Gonzalez | 1GP 1L 6IP 4H 1R 1ER 5BB 12K’s
CC King | Aiden Reyes | 1GP 1ND 5IP 1H 1R 1ER 6BB 7K’s
Gregory-Portland | Dominic Guerra | 1GP 1W 5IP 1H 0R 0ER 3BB 4K’s
Gregory-Portland | Danny Rodriguez | 1GP 1W 5IP 6H 0R 0ER 1BB 5K’s
Floresville | Landen Mutz | 1GP 1W 5IP 3H 0R 0ER 1BB 5K’s
Calallen | Drayton Mitchell | 1GP 1W 5IP 2H 0R 0ER 2BB 10K’s
Sinton | Julian Suarez | 1GP 1W 6IP 5H 2R 2ER 1BB 5K’s
Rio Grande Grulla | Jose Hernandez | 1GP 1W 7IP 3H 1R 1ER 5BB 6K’s
Rio Grande Grulla | Jaythen Salinas | 1GP 1L 5IP 3H 2R 2ER 5BB 10K’s
Harlingen South | James Esquivel | 1GP 1W 6IP 5H 1R 1ER 2BB 4K’s
La Joya | Gael Zambrano | 1GP 1W 5IP 4H 1R 1ER 4BB 5K’s
La Joya | Adam Bocanegra | 1GP 1W 5IP 3H 1R 0ER 3BB 3K’s
Los Fresnos | Orlando Rivera | 1GP 1W 7IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 8K’s
Mission Veterans | Jose Flores | 1GP 1W 7IP 2H 0R 0ER 2BB 2K’s
La Joya Palmview | Jaime Cordova | 1GP 1W 5.2IP 5H 1R 1ER 3BB 6K’s
La Joya Palmview | Joseph Martinez | 1GP 1ND 7.2IP 5H 4R 3ER 3BB 11K’s
PSJA | JT Reyna | 1GP 1W 7IP 2H 0R 0ER 3BB 14K’s
PSJA | Jorge Castillo | 1GP 1W 7IP 3H 0R 0ER 3BB 10K’s
Brownsville Rivera | Marcos Guerrero | 1GP 1W 6IP 2H 2R 1ER 3BB 10K’s
Roma | Ezra Gonzalez | 1GP 1W 7IP 2H 0R 0ER 4BB 14K’s
San Benito | Jordan Lopez | 1GP 1W 7IP 3H 2R 2ER 0BB 6K’s
Sharyland Pioneer | Francisco Juarez | 1GP 1W 5IP 3H 0R 0ER 4BB 5K’s
Laredo United South | Roman Martinez | 1GP 1ND 7.1IP 4H 1R 1ER 1BB 16K’s
Brownsville Veterans | Alberto Palacios | 1GP 1W 6IP 4H 0R 0ER 2BB 4K’s
Weslaco East | Enrique Hernandez | 1GP 1W 5IP 2H 1R 1ER 4BB 5K’s
2A/3A Pitchers of the Week
Three Rivers | Jayse Alvarado | 1GP 1W 7IP 4H 0R 0ER 0BB 6K’s
Refugio | Laytan Garza | 1GP 1W 6IP 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 10K’s
Raymondville | Justin Rodriguez | 1GP 1W 5IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 11K’s
Port Aransas | Straton Mills | 1GP 1W 5IP 2H 0R 0ER 2BB 7K’s
Orange Grove | Linden Rodriguez | 1GP 1W 5.1IP 4H 2R 1ER 4BB 8K’s
Odem | Buddy Chapman | 1GP 1W 7IP 2H 2R 0ER 3BB 12K’s
Odem | Joey Harrington | 1GP 1W 7IP 3H 1R 1ER 3BB 12K’s
Lyford | Riley Reyna | 1GP 1W 7IP 5H 2R 1ER 3BB 7K’s
Hebbronville | Jayden Guardian | 1GP 1W 5IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 9K’s
Bishop | Aiden Areola Andalon | 1GP 1W 6.1IP 1H 1R 0ER 0BB 6K’s
Bishop | Aiden Alaniz | 1GP 1W 6.1IP 2H 2R 1ER 3BB 11K’s
San Diego | Landen Sanchez | 1GP 1W 7IP 4H 1R 0ER 1BB 10K’s
CC London | Crosby Zeller | 1GP 1L 5IP 2H 2R 2ER 1BB 7K’s
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4A/5A/6A Hitters of the Week
Calallen | Reese Rusher | .857 Avg 7-AB 6-H 1-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 6-RS 5-SB
Victoria East | Deacon Chase | .800 Avg 5-AB 4-H 3-RBI 2-BB 1-2B 1-3B 1-HR 3-RS
Sinton | Conner Davis | .667 Avg 15-AB 10-H 10-RBI 0-BB 3-2B 2-3B 7-RS
Alice | Maddex Carrillo | .625 Avg 8-AB 5-H 5-RBI 2-BB 1-2B 1-3B 6-RS 4-SB
Sinton | Julian Suarez | .600 Avg 10-AB 6-H 7-RBI 3-BB 2-2B 7-RS
Gregory-Portland | Dominic Guerra | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 3-RBI 0-BB 4-RS 3-SB
Sinton | Dylan Arraiga | .555 Avg 9-AB 5-H 3-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 6-RS
Calallen | Drayson Gamez | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 3-RBI 0-BB 2-RS
Calallen | Aidan Flores | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 0-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 3-RS
Calallen | Jagger Batek | .500 Avg 4-AB 2-H 1-RBI 2-BB 1-HR 3-RS
Calallen | Drayton Mitchell | .500 Avg 8-AB 4-H 3-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-HR 1-RS
Port Lavaca | Tucker Emerson | .500 Avg 8-AB 4-H 2-RBI 0-BB 2-2B
Victoria East | Bentley Blinka | .500 Avg 4-AB 2-H 1-RBI 2-BB 2-2B 4-RS
CC Ray | Orlando Ruiz | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 1-RBI 0-BB 1-RS 1-SB
PSJA | TJ Ayala | .750 Avg 4-AB 3-H 0-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 2-RS
La Joya Palmview | Javier Garza | .714 Avg 7-AB 5-H 1-RBI 2-BB 2-2B 1-RS
La Joya | Joaquin Barrientos | .667 Avg 6-AB 4-H 3-RBI 0-BB 1-2B
Laredo LBJ | Mark Flores | .667 Avg 6-AB 4-H 3-RBI 0-BB
Weslaco East | James Abrego | .625 Avg 8-AB 5-H 5-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 3-RS
Weslaco East | Enrique Hernandez | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 2-RBI 3-BB 3-2B 2-RS
Donna | Domingo Sierra | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 1-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-RS
McAllen | Justin Garza | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 2-RBI 3-BB
Rio Grande City | DeAndre Rodriguez | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 1-RBI 0-BB 4-RS 5-SB
Weslaco East | Brian Perez | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 1-RBI 0-BB 3-RS 2-SB
Sharyland Pioneer | Sean Lara | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 4-RBI 0-BB 2-2B 1-HR 4-RS
Mission Veterans | Jorge DeLeon | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 3-RBI 0-BB 3-RS 3-SB
Harlingen South | Kris Cruz | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 3-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-RS
Laredo LBJ | Enrique Loyola | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 2-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 3-RS
PSJA | Matt Azuara | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 2-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 2-RS
Donna | Ethan Rincon | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 1-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-HR 2-RS
Rio Grande Grulla | Noriel Pena | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 4-RBI 0-BB 1-RS 1-SB2A/3A Hitters of the Week
Falfurrias | Derek Vasquez | .800 Avg 5-AB 4-H 4-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-HR 4-RS 2-SB
Port Aransas | Zion Jackson | .800 Avg 5-AB 4-H 2-RBI 5-BB 2-RS
Agua Dulce | Phil Garcia | .750 Avg 4-AB 3-H 3-RBI 3-BB 1-2B 2-RS
Agua Dulce | Kalab Castillo | .714 Avg 7-AB 5-H 2-RBI 0-BB 2-3B 5-RS 2-SB
Raymondville | Noel Reta | .714 Avg 7-AB 5-H 8-RBI 4-BB 1-3B 5-RS
Hebbronville | Ruben Rodriguez | .667 Avg 9-AB 6-H 6-RBI 0-BB 4-3B 5-RS
Odem | Kaleb Price | .667 Avg 6-AB 4-H 0-RBI 2-BB 3-RS
Refugio | Timothy Rosas | .667 Avg 6-AB 4-H 1-RBI 2-BB 1-2B 1-RS
Refugio | Zander Wills | .667 Avg 6-AB 4-H 6-RBI 0-BB 2-2B 1-HR 2-RS
Agua Dulce | John Aguilar | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 6-RBI 3-BB 1-2B 2-HR 5-RS
Agua Dulce | Joaquin Longoria | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 2-RBI 2-BB 5-RS 2-SB
Orange Grove | Hughes Klatt | .600 Avg 5-AB 3-H 2-RBI 3-BB 1-RS 3-SB
Raymondville | Thomas Gomez | .600 Avg 10-AB 6-H 6-RBI 0-BB 2-2B 1-3B 6-RS 6-SB
CC London | JJ Villegas | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 3-RBI 3-BB 2-2B 3-RS 6-SB
Bishop | Matthew Reyna | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 1-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 2-RS
Refugio | Matthew Perez | .571 Avg 7-AB 4-H 1-RBI 0-BB 2-RS
Hebbronville | Chase Moore | .555 Avg 9-AB 5-H 5-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-HR 5-RS 4-SB
Port Aransas | Bostyn Wagner | .555 Avg 9-AB 5-H 4-RBI 0-BB 3-2B 1-3B 6-RS
Goliad | Cy Henke | .545 Avg 11-AB 6-H 3-RBI 0-BB 3-2B 4-RS 4-SB
CC London | Dax Williams | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 0-RBI 0-BB 1-RS 2-SB
Lyford | Diego Medina | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 1-RBI 0-BB 2-2B 1-RS
Odem | Caden Price | .500 Avg 8-AB 4-H 1-RBI 0-BB 2-RS
Odem | Chris Gonzalez | .500 Avg 8-AB 4-H 2-RBI 0-BB 2-RS
Poth | Collin Korb | .500 Avg 6-AB 3-H 3-RBI 0-BB 1-2B 1-3B 2-RS