SINTON, Texas — The Sinton Pirates baseball program has made it to the UIL state tournament the past three seasons, and four of the seniors have a chance to make it all four years. Diamond Pro/Texas High School Baseball has the Pirates ranked No. 3 in the 4A preseason poll.
"We're back for more you know," Aidan Moody, Sinton senior pitcher and third baseman, said. "We're staying hungry and just trying to work our hardest to get back to Disch-Falk."
The Pirates won the state championship in 2022, and it was followed by another state semifinal appearance. Four Sinton seniors have made it to Austin all three years, and now they'll be helping the new guys on their roster.
"This group of guys has kind of seen how all of that has gone through over the last few years and been a part of it as well," Adrian Alaniz, Sinton baseball head coach, said. "We're kind of leaning on that leadership and all those things they were able to experience for this year."
The Pirates pitching staff returns a few of the same players like Rob Thomas, Derek Garcia and their workhorse Aidan Moody.
"We've kind of ridden a three-man horse for the last few years on the mound, and I think overall as a group we have more to offer as a pitching staff than we've had in the past," Alaniz said.
Sinton's starting catcher last season, Blake Mitchell, signed a professional contract with the Royals, so they're leaning on Nick Flores who got some playing time and first-year varsity catcher CD Ellis. They'll build confidence from their experienced infielders.
"Nick (Flores) coming back, well he'll be behind the plate most of the time," Moody said. "Marco (Gonzales) coming back, we have Kash (Wood) coming back and then we have some people that are going to step up and play those extra positions for us."
So far in scrimmages, the Pirates are also finding success at the plate with a solid lineup that has two new guys in the top six. They're fitting in with the returners who know what it takes to go to state.
Like we've all known each other for a while and we've all grown up playing with each other," Kash Wood, Sinton junior third baseman and outfield said. "I think the team bond has always been there since we were younger. I think that really starts us off strong."
