Gunter preparing for first state tournament in 20 years

GUNTER, Texas (KXII) -The Gunter Tigers are back in the state baseball tournament for the first time since 2001.

”I feel like we’re carrying a lot of weight on us right now but I think we can go out and do something special here,” said Gunter first baseman Trey Oblas.

Only two games stand between the Tigers and their first state title since 1998 but the team knows they can’t get ahead of themselves.

”Once you’re at this point in the game, you can only take it one game at a time really,” said Oblas.

Pitcher Isaac Villanueva said the mean needs to treat each game like it’s the championship.

“Just win,” said Villanueva. “Keep that physicality and just focus on that one game.”

”There’s no real secret strategy or something we can do different, we are who we are,” said Gunter coach Daryl Hellman. “We just need to lock in mentally, reduce our mistakes, and play good baseball.”

Gunter is a young team but their postseason run has prepared them for success in the state tournament.

”We’ve faced so many challenges and won different types of games that had our backs against the wall. We’ve swept teams and beat them convincingly,” Hellman said. “So they’ve been in almost every type of situation, helped them grow up pretty fast.”

”I feel like all if us are fined tuned right now and able to field the little ground balls, bunt, hit and run, all the little things that will move us over on the bases,” said Oblas. “I think that’s what’s going to matter most in this game.”

Villanueva said he knows what he’ll have to do to help his team win.

“I’m going to have to throw strikes and do what I do and pitch my best game,” said Villanueva.

Gunter will face Malakoff in the state semifinals on Friday, June 11 at 12:00 p.m. at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

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