Jesuit Dallas completed a historic 2016 season in fitting fashion, capturing the first University Intercollegiate League (UIL) 6A State Championship in program history, 6-2, over San Antonio Johnson on Saturday, June 11 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

Six runs in the first two innings provided enough offense for junior Jacob Palisch, who was named the UIL State Tournament Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the contest.  The junior threw 6.1 innings, striking out six batters and allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks. Junior JJ Montenegro entered in the seventh with two Johnson runs in and the bases loaded, earning the save after retiring the final two outs.

Senior Bryce Bonner went 1-for-2, driving in a team-high two runs, while classmate Jared Bond alongside juniors JT Mix and Mark Ready additionally posted RBI for the Rangers (36-8-2). Senior Matt Horvath led the squad with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring a run, while Mix crossed the plate twice.

Jesuit fourth year Kyle Muller, the 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year and Atlanta Braves second-round Major League Baseball (MLB) Amateur Draft selection ends his Jesuit Dallas career on a five-game hitting streak, scattering eight hits over his last five games in a Ranger uniform with a 1-for-4 performance on Saturday afternoon.

In addition to the Tournament MVP and All-Tournament honor for Palisch, Bonner, Muller and senior Jared Kengott earned spots on the UIL 6A State All-Tournament team.

Leading off the game with a single, Johnson placed a pair of runners in scoring position before Palisch ended the Jaguars first, escaping an early scare. Mix responded by forcing a leadoff walk in the Jesuit first, moving to second on a single by Hamrick then scoring on a hard-hit ground ball through the left side by Bonner.
 
After Johnson left another runner stranded at third in the top of the second, Jesuit piled five runs on four hits in the second. Horvath singled to center field and moved to third after a Johnson error during Kengott's first at bat, which additionally allowed the Southern Illinois commit to advance into scoring position.

A wild pitch plated Horvath, and a bunt single down the first base line by Mix scored Kengott to give the Blue and Gold a three-run lead.

Muller kept the Ranger rally going with a single to center, and the Rangers loaded the bases after Hamrick was hit by a pitch. A bases loaded walk to Bonner, a single by Bond and a fielder's choice by Ready scored Muller and Hamrick, respectively, spotting Jesuit a 6-0 lead headed into the third.

Palisch settled in soon after, retiring 11 consecutive batters between the third and sixth innings to put Jesuit in reach of the title.  With the top of the order up to bat, Johnson logged back-to-back hits in the sixth, but Palisch again responded, striking out the number three hitter, picking off the runner in scoring position then forcing an inning-ending groundout to extinguish the rally.

In the seventh, Johnson began a determined rally, scattering four hits to score the first run allowed by the Rangers since the first inning of the UIL Region II Final against Atascocita. Montenegro entered the game in relief of Palisch, forcing a pop out in foul territory to Ready before striking out the final out of the game.

Jesuit, aggressive on the base paths throughout the year, captured the two victories over the weekend with only one extra base hit, a triple by Kengott in the third inning against Langham Creek. Muller and Palisch once again demonstrated their season-long dominance on the rubber, combining for 13.1 innings pitched and 15 strikeouts, allowing only one earned run on 10 total hits and six walks.

Saturday's UIL State Championship is the first for the baseball program since the team's 1999 Texas Christian Interscholastic League (TCIL) state crown, the sixth overall in program history and the 112th in the history of Jesuit Dallas.  The Rangers win their first state championship in their second championship weekend appearance, and provide Jesuit Dallas with its second ever UIL State Championship, following the state title won by the soccer program in 2010.

Ranger baseball becomes the second program to win a state championship this season, following the Jesuit Dallas lacrosse program, which won its first Texas High School Lacrosse League (THSLL) state championship in May.