CHINA SPRING, Texas — The China Spring Cougars have looked sharp from the minute they stepped onto the field this season, finishing district play undefeated and entering round three of the playoffs 27-4-2.
Jesse Lopez's squad swept both Carthage and Taylor in rounds one and two of the post season, and will take on a dominate team in the Rusk Eagles on Thursday night.
"They're a very good team that's why they've made it this far," said Lopez, who is in his seventh year coaching at China Spring. "They have one pitcher in particular that's really good, a left-handed pitcher that's committed to Vanderbilt. We've been preparing for this all season, its a good test for us and we're going to be ready."
Lopez said making it this far into the postseason is no surprise.
"We knew coming into this season we were a really good team."
He said the Cougars preform well in all areas of the game.
"We do three things well: pitch, hit and field, and in order to be playing right now that what you need to do."
China Spring returned 10 starters from last season which was cut short, and junior Kolby Killough said having a lot of returners helps them when it comes to team chemistry.
"We're all just friends, we hangout all the time not just for baseball," said Killough, a pitcher and short stop for China Spring. "We try not to take it for granted especially after what happened last year."
Killough said this team is different than any other team.
"We're the real deal and we're ready to play."
The game on Thursday night will be a single game quarterfinal match-up against Rusk played at Navasota High School beginning at 5 p.m.