For the second consecutive season, the Hamlin Pied Pipers and Gordon Longhorns are set to collide in the UIL Baseball Playoffs with a spot in the Class 1A state title game up for grabs.
Gordon (21-4) and Hamlin (21-1) will begin their best-of-three series in the 1A state semifinals with Game 1 at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 28, at Eula High School.
Hamlin and Gordon will square off again in Game 2 at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 30, in Eula with a potential Game 3 set to start 30 minutes afterward if necessary.
Here’s everything you need to know heading into the Longhorns and Pied Pipers’ best-of-three series rematch in the state semifinals of the Class 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs:
What happened last time Hamlin faced Gordon?
The last time the Hamlin Pied Pipers squared off against the Gordon Longhorns on the diamond was during a matchup last year in the state semifinals of the Class 1A UIL Baseball Playoffs.
The two teams met in a best-of-three series at ACU’s Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene to determine who would advance to the 2025 UIL Baseball State Championships.
In Game 1 of that series, Gordon earned a runaway 14-1 victory in five innings on the strength of seven singles and 11 walks, and the Longhorns pitchers also held Hamlin to one base hit.
Hamlin bounced back with a stronger performance in Game 2 of that series, but the Longhorns ultimately rallied to secure a 9-6 victory and sweep.
Inside elite pitching matchup
Both the Longhorns and Pied Pipers are entering this matchup with a red-hot group of pitchers who have been tough to hit throughout the 2026 UIL Baseball Playoffs.
For Gordon, senior pitcher Aiden Shank has served as the ace of the Longhorns pitching staff since last year and was a major reason why they were able to reach the Class 1A UIL Baseball State Championship game for the first time in school history.
Shank, a capable defender who plays shortstop when not on the mound and a productive hitter who leads off the Longhorns lineup, has shined on the mound this postseason and elevated his game to a new level in the face of playoff pressure.
He has collected four wins and two playoff saves without allowing an earned run, striking out 32 batters with six hits and eight walks allowed in 15⅓ innings pitched for Gordon this postseason.
Shank also earned the victory on the mound for the Longhorns in Game 1 of their state semifinals series against Hamlin last year.
On the opposite side, the Pied Pipers boast one of the strongest and deepest pitching staffs in all of Class 1A.
Hamlin has been guided by the one-two punch of standout pitchers Ian Gruben and Isaiah Hutchings, who have alternated starts on the mound for the Pied Pipers throughout their postseason run.
The dominant duo has been a major reason behind Hamlin’s current 19-game winning streak, too.
Gruben has earned four wins on the mound and posted a 0.72 ERA, with 18 strikeouts, 15 hits and eight walks allowed through 25 innings pitched for the Pied Pipers this postseason.
Hutchings, meanwhile, has collected three playoff wins and boasts a 0.96 ERA, with 39 strikeouts, 11 hits and 13 walks allowed through 18⅔ innings pitched since the start of Hamlin’s playoff run.
Pied Piper power vs Longhorn consistency
When it comes to comparing these two teams offensively, Gordon versus Hamlin will look like a clash of styles in terms of run production.
The Longhorns have been at their best when they’ve been able to spark rallies by stringing together hard-hit singles and earning hard-fought walks to keep big innings alive.
Gordon boasts some serious pop at the top of its batting order, but the Longhorns’ biggest strengths offensively are their consistency and ability to routinely put balls in play, even against tough competition.
Throughout their run in the 2026 UIL Baseball Playoffs, the Gordon Longhorns have outhit their opponents in eight of nine postseason games and averaged 8.4 hits per game as a team during the playoffs.
The Pied Pipers, meanwhile, have proven there’s enough power spread throughout their lineup to change the entire trajectory of a big game with one swing of the bat.
Hamlin’s deep lineup is highlighted by a slew of dangerous hitters dotting the heart of the batting order. Right fielder and clean-up hitter Derrick Lechuga has been on a tear this postseason, tallying 13 RBIs, six runs scored, three doubles, three stolen bases, five walks, a triple and a sac fly on 10-for-23 hitting.
Opposing teams have had a tough time trying to pitch around Lechuga because of how solid power-hitting third baseman Hagan Holland has been in the No. 5 spot in Hamlin’s lineup, recording six RBIs, four runs scored, a home run, two doubles, four stolen bases and six walks on 7-for-20 hitting in the playoffs.
Lechuga and Holland have been raking in RBI opportunities during the Pied Pipers’ seven-game postseason winning streak thanks largely to the trio of Gruben, Hutchings and center fielder Luke White, who have been reliably finding ways on base to set the table for Hamlin’s big bats.
As a group, the Pied Pipers boast nine doubles, three triples and one home run through seven playoff games.
What might ultimately be the pivotal factor, though, is who can seize an advantage on the basepaths.
Both Gordon and Hamlin are generally aggressive on the basepaths and it’s been a big part of both the Longhorns and Pied Pipers’ success in 2026.
Hamlin and Gordon have racked up 43 and 55 stolen bases, respectively, during their current playoff runs.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: What to Know: Gordon vs Hamlin in 1A UIL Baseball State Semifinals rematch
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
