All season long, it seemed like the Bellaire baseball team loved to be doubted. The players thrived on having people not believing that they could make it to state.

“Everybody doubted us, and that’s what we like to have: haters,” centerfielder Jarrett Higgins said. “When we get to perform on the field, we like to prove them wrong. It’s a team effort.”

The Cardinals took all the perceived hate and turned it into a Region III championship. They will face Southlake Carroll at 7 p.m. Friday in the second of two 5A state semifinals at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.

The winner will face either Plano West or Laredo United for the state championship game at noon Saturday.

Carroll (22-18) had only three starters return from last year’s team, but have had a good number of players step up and contribute. Pitcher Ross Stripling has been brilliant with a 5-0 record and 1.21 ERA and has struck out 36 batters in 34 2/3 innings. One of the big batters in the lineup includes second baseman Josh Rake, who is the team's top hitter (.393) in the postseason with 11 hits in 28 at-bats.

The Dragons enter the state tournament with the fewest victories (22) by any Class 5A tournament team this decade. Only Elkins in 2003 (29) and The Woodlands in 2000 (28) have won state with fewer than 30 wins. But 11 of Carroll’s losses were games forfeited due to use of an ineligible player. And the Dragons have lost only once in the playoffs, a 2-1 loss to Amarillo in the regional semifinals.

Bellaire (39-8) hopes that its strong pitching from Tyler Duffey, Kyle Chaskin and Jared Rothenberg continues in the state semifinals. Duffey has been super in his starts even though he has gotten only two wins in the postseason. Chaskin has been outstanding in his last two appearances, giving up only two runs and six hits in the last two games.

Also, senior players like catcher Jeremy Schaffer and third baseman Will McCaleb have been performing well through much of the postseason.

“I was happy that these guys had a chance to contribute,” Bellaire coach Rocky Manuel said. “Those guys had a chance to contribute and gave us a chance to win.”

Bellaire has been able to win games in the clutch, winning the last three Game 3s in each series. But now, it’s one-game-take-all.

“I know it’s going to sound funny and some people are going to hate me for saying it, but we treat every game the same,” Manuel said. “We can’t afford to lose to Sam Houston, Milby or anybody when you’re trying to win a championship. We don’t do anything special.”

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