Baseball playoffs: Ace pitchers for Keller, Jesuit dazzle to help their teams complete sweeps

South Grand Prairie outfielder Brandon Mountcastle (27) awaits a pitch from Irving MacArthur pitcher Leonardo Chavez (8) while batting in the first inning. The two teams played their Game 1 in a best-of-3 series bi-district baseball matchup at South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie on April 30, 2026. (Steve Hamm/The Dallas Morning News) COPPELL – Cole Koeninger was perfect for six innings on the mound and added two hits to lead Keller to a 6-0 Game 2 victory over Mansfield Lake Ridge and a sweep the best-of-3 Class 6A Division I bi-district baseball series Thursday night at Cowboys Field.

Koeninger got stronger as the game wore on, fanning the last nine hitters he faced and finishing with 14 strikeouts. Connor Davenport came on to pitch the seventh inning. “It wasn’t my call, I would have loved to come back out, but we wanted to get some work for another guy,’’ said Koeninger, headed to play college baseball at Tennessee unless his name is called early in the baseball draft.

“Cole is as talented a player as I’ve had here,’’ said Rob Stramp, in his 28th season as head coach at Keller. “He’s got a great chance to be big time. He’s outstanding at shortstop and has only been pitching a short while.

’’ Asked his preference, Koeninger said he did love to hit, "so maybe I could do both. '' Lake Ridge put four balls in play against the right-hander, two ground balls and two fly balls. Keller (32-2-2) is ranked No.