TEXAS CITY — With a warm sendoff from the community, the Texas City Stings hit the road for Round Rock Thursday morning as they prepared for their first state baseball tournament appearance since 1954.

Senior shortstop Cory Blair said the excitement has been building since the Stings clinched the Class 4A, Region III title on Saturday.

“It’s finally starting to sink in,” Blair said with a big smile on his face.

“We’re starting to realize what we’ve accomplish and what we are planning to accomplish this weekend.”

Texas City (26-11) is just two wins away from its first state baseball title. The Stings open up with a state semifinal match-up against Mesquite Poteet (33-4) at 4 p.m. today at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.

“We are very confident that we are going to win this thing,” said Texas City coach Mike Schwager.

“There’s no reason we can’t win. We’ve seen a lot of good teams this year, so the kids know what to expect. It’s going to be all about us performing like we are capable of.”

Schwager isn’t the only one confident of the team’s ability to claim the title. Barbara White, a 1969 Texas City graduate, joined more than 30 others by supporting the players with signs and cheers as they left the parking lot of Stingaree Stadium at 8:45 a.m.

“This is great for the whole community,” White said. “We are all pumped about this. The time is now for these boys.”

White was one of many Texas City supporters on Thursday wearing lucky rabbit ears. The rabbit has become an unofficial mascot for the team, after one made an appearance just prior to them rallying from a 6-1 deficit to win the deciding game in the regional finals series.

White said she and the rest of the Sting fans plan to wear the rabbit ears during today’s game.

“Not that they need any luck,” she said. “But every little bit helps.”

Should the Stings defeat the Pirates today, they would play the winner of Corpus Christi Moody and Canyon Randall in the Class 4A state title game at 7 p.m. Saturday.

No matter what the results from this weekend’s tournament, Schwager said this experience has motivated the team to make the trip to Round Rock an annual affair.

“We’re looking forward to not waiting 50 years for our next state appearance,” he said.

“But this is their time now. It’s time for them to make a stand and show everyone what they can do.”