A dream that started on hometown baseball fields in Keller has taken one high school senior to the world stage and straight to gold.

Cole Koeninger, an 18-year-old senior at Keller High School, recently returned from Japan where he pitched for Team USA in the 18U Baseball World Cup. 

Team USA brought home the crown after defeating Japan 6-1 in the final game.

Koeninger, a dual-threat player who shines both on the mound and at the plate, says baseball has been part of his life for as long as he can remember.

"I started from a young age; it was always a love of mine," he said. "Baseball started to separate itself as I got older."

That passion, combined with years of hard work, helped Koeninger earn a spot on Team USA's roster of 20 of the top high school players in the country. 

In Japan, Koeninger made the most of his opportunity, making 3 relief appearances in the World Cup in which he allowed no runs and one hit over 3 innings.

"Every pitch matters over there," Koeninger said. "All the games were really competitive."

Koeninger says the biggest takeaway from competing internationally was learning to embrace teamwork and perseverance, lessons first shaped in Keller.

"All the people here in Keller pushing me shaped me into the player I am today and really the athlete I am today," he said.

Koeninger's journey is far from over. The two-way player is committed to play for the University of Tennessee, a powerhouse baseball program consistently ranked among the nation's best.

"I just really love the coaches and how personable they were," he said. "All their values as a program really resonated with me."

From Keller to Japan and soon to Knoxville, Koeninger says his next goal is to keep chasing his dream.

"I hope to be in the MLB, a World Series champion and ultimately, a Hall-of-Famer," he said with a smile.

For now, he's focused on getting a little better each day.

"Really, the number one thing is just trying to get 1% better each day," he said.