Baseball: Burnett, Brown lead Highlanders to state finals

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Ryan Burnett threw a masterful complete game and Kolbi Brown won it with a walk-off homer as The Woodlands High School baseball team defeated Northside O’Connor 2-1 Friday afternoon at the Dell Diamond.

Burnett took a perfect game into the sixth inning before walking a batter. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning when the Panthers tied it with a bouncing single through the infield and a line single to center that evened the game, 1-1.

But Brown lined a no-doubter over the left-field fence with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the Highlanders (37-4) to the UIL Class 5A State Championship Game. They’ll face Dulles (31-7), a 3-0 winner over Arlington Martin in the first state semifinals game Friday.

The two face off at 11:30 a.m. for the state title. The Vikings won the 1989 state title in their only other state tournament appearance. The Highlanders look for a third state championship (2000, 2006) in three appearances.

Burnett helped The Woodlands to the title game by throwing a two-hitter, striking out five while walking just one batter. He faced 23 batters, just two over the minimum and did it with 91 pitches.

The Highlanders banged out seven hits. Luke Sherley led the way with two, including a double. Charlie Warren delivered a sixth-inning double and scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly from Chris Andritsos.

Alex Dunlap, Blaine Gillespie, and Carter Hope added a single apiece.

Hope, Saturday’s likely starter, was drafted in the third round on Friday by the Kansas City Royals. He has also committed to Oklahoma State University where he would likely play baseball and football.