Tomball Cougars down Pearland Oilers to win 6A state championship

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

ROUND ROCK, TEXAS (June 8, 2024) Houston area high school baseball was destined to shine this season, and the Tomball Cougars made sure they were the ones bringing home the UIL Class 6A state championship. On Saturday at Dell Diamond, the Cougars clinched their second state title in program history with a 4-1 win over Pearland.

Tomball (41-3), ranked No. 3 in the nation by MaxPreps, ended their season with an impressive 30-game winning streak. They also secured two shutout victories in the state tournament. Pearland (36-9), on the other hand, fell short of state gold for the second year in a row after losing 6-4 in the final last season.

The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning when Tomball brought 10 batters to the plate and took control. Sophomore right-hander Karson Reeder delivered a stellar performance, pitching a complete game with just three hits allowed. He struck out 14 straight batters at one point, allowing Pearland only one hit in the sixth inning.

Pearland's senior pitcher Jaden Barfield, who started in the state championship game for the second consecutive year, had a strong start with four strikeouts in the first three innings. However, things took a turn in the fourth inning. With two runners on base, Reeder hit an RBI single, followed by a two-run single by Josh Olivo, and a bases-loaded walk by C.J. Sampson, putting Tomball up 4-0.

Barfield, an Oklahoma recruit, had previously thrown three shutouts during the postseason but struggled in this game. Despite his efforts, he couldn't stop Tomball's two-out rally in the fourth inning.

Reeder, who came into the game with a 12-1 record and a 0.89 ERA, continued to dominate after allowing a leadoff single. He ended the inning with a double play and kept Pearland in check until Cade Adams hit an RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning.

Tomball's playoff run was remarkable, going undefeated with a 12-0 record and allowing only 15 runs. This win marks Houston's first 6A state title since Deer Park won in 2017 and only the third 6A state title for  the Houston area since 2014.