When two state-ranked high school baseball powerhouses meet anything can happen.
That was the case in District 20-6A when Kempner, ranked No. 3 in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 6A state poll, faced No. 9 Fort Bend Travis.
Pitcher Ryan Rickett went the distance in the 2-1 Travis victory and pitched out of a bases-loaded no-out jam in the seventh inning. Rickett also supplied a bases-loaded walk for the game-winning RBI following a solo home run by Jaren Burks.
The Travis victory created a three-way log jam atop the 20-6A standings with Kempner, Travis and Ridge Point sporting 6-1 ledgers.
Things went from bad to worse for Kempner as Ridge Point knocked off the Cougars 5-1 in the next game on April 7.
Houston Lamar (20-2-1) is No. 4 in the THSBCA state rankings after sweeping through the first half of District 18-6A play unbeaten. The Texans defeated Westbury 23-7 last Friday at the Joe Kelly Butler Sports Complex to begin the second half of district play.
George Ranch (22-1) maintained the state’s No. 1 Class 6A ranking. The Longhorns lone loss of the season was a 3-1 non-district decision to Stratford on March 4. George Ranch and Stratford have split two meetings this season.
The Longhorns made short work of Hastings (12-1) and Alief Taylor (10-0) in league play (23-6A) last week.
Other state ranked Houston area 6A schools include Atascocita, Cypress Ranch, Deer Park and Kingwood.
Magnolia (11) and Brenham (14) are the Houston area’s top-ranked Class 5A teams.