Argyle baseball coach Ricky Griffin and his history-making Eagles’ feel that knowing what to expect could be a game-changer in their run for more glory.
“It’s an advantage having the experience,” Griffin told Texas Scorecard. “There are other schools that have also been there, but it’s not a wow factor for us. For us, there’s an expectation to perform at a high level. Now, we need to just go there and play the type of game we’ve been playing for the last several weeks.”
The defending AAAA state title champs travel to Austin on Wednesday for a semifinal round clash against a still-to-be-determined opponent at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin.
No matter who the opponent proves to be for the 38-1-1 Eagles, in the midst of a 26-game winning streak, the game plan stays the same.
“We’ll stay in the same routine we always do over these next few days,” Griffin added. “We’ll have normal practices and just go about the business of preparing the way we do.”
That all starts with having senior ace right-hander Chad Wicker on the mound in Austin. The UT-San Antonio signee has thrown three straight no-hitters, including in Argyle’s 2-0 Class 4A Region 1 finals win over Iowa Park.
In all, the Eagles, ranked No. 2 in the nation by USA Today, feature 10 players who are either committed or signed with a Division I program.
“The kids are pretty grounded and know what it takes to win another state championship,” Griffin added. “The key for us is don’t go there and try to do more, but certainly don’t do less than what you have been. We just need to go there and play at the level we’ve been playing. If someone plays better, they deserve state title.”
In addition to last year, Argyle also made trips to the state tournament in 2014 and 2015.
