LAS VEGAS – Millions of sports fans around the world have been following along as the battle for Texas wages on within the world of baseball, as the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers continue to duke it out for the rights to represent Major League Baseball’s (MLB) American League in this year’s World Series.

Daniel Keeping hasn’t been one of them, though.

The Montague, Texas, resident has been busy recording clutch rides a few states west, hitting home runs of his own.

With the Texas Rattlers capturing the 2023 Camping World Teams Championship Sunday afternoon inside T-Mobile Arena, the state could be home to a pair of champions by month’s end.

Technically, Championship Sunday would’ve produced a winner from the Lone Star state either way (as the Rattlers defeated their instate rival, the Austin Gamblers), which makes it even better for Keeping and his Fort Worth-based squad.

“It’s a big blessing,” Keeping shared.

“To see all of our hard work and efforts and determination finally all pay off. We just have to thank God, it’s all him really. We’re just living in the moment he gave us.”

Besting Red River for a game-high 90.5 points, Keeping was very much in the moment as he matched his bovine opponent’s every move with everything he had left in the tank.

RELATED: Texas Rattlers crowned 2023 PBR Teams Champions

Clinching the win and sending the arena into an uproar, his name will forever be associated with getting the Rattlers over the finish line. But it wasn’t so long ago that his underwhelming performance on a similar season-culminating stage forced him to buckle down.

“I kind of choked up at World Finals last year and I took it pretty hard for a month. But finally getting over it and learning from my mistakes is the best victory you can have in that situation. I think I learned pretty well and it was nice to finish one off,” Keeping said.

“To me, if you can’t ride your bull, you’re not going to help your team. You just have to ride your bull and have fun. Keep on trucking.”

The talented 24-year-old has showcased his ability to stay calm, cool and collected as the team’s closer this year, and continued to do such, despite hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line in this particular situation.

“I personally don’t think about it. Cody (Lambert) tells us to keep it simple,” he offered.

“It’s just another bull and your goal is to ride the bull first and then worry about the outcome. We did that and we got the outcome. We did good and we’re just blessed.”

Everyone knows Texas’ head coach runs a tight ship, expecting the most out of his guys while practically trademarking his famous “We should’ve rode all five,” line as year two of the electric 5-on-5 series comes to a close.

But he really must’ve gotten his guys to buy in this summer, as the squad completed their historic run by dethroning the GOAT and his No. 1-seeded squad with a convincing 355.25-265.25 win. (Just missing the 100% mark at 4-for-5)

Michael Jordan didn’t lose very often, though (in our case, two-time PBR Teams MVP Jose Vitor Leme).

And when he did, he almost certainly made sure to go the distance the following season.

“It’s not that we got lucky, we just tried hard and God blessed us, but it wasn’t lack of the other teams not trying as hard, man,” he said.

“They’ve been putting in the work too, so it was a really good Teams season. It’s only going to get better next year, too. They’re going to be hungrier.”

Remaining humble, as most of the Lambert-led locker room does, Keeping was thankful for the competition.

“We’re also blessed to have such good competitors too that push us to be better. Austin, Arizona, Nashville, Oklahoma,” he detailed.

“It’s like a good NFL game where you’ve got these teams going back and forth, back and forth. Then another team comes in here and challenges you, it’s iron sharpening iron at the end of the day.”

As much as the cowboy claimed his team was simply staying the course and keeping it simple, maybe we should’ve seen this coming.

Going a perfect 4-0 during the final regular season event of the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series season, their own Rattler Days homestand, Texas caught fire at the perfect time.

Continuing its momentum right into the heart of the postseason, Texas didn’t need any stops in any Last Chance Games this weekend. Going a perfect 3-0 in tournament play, they sprayed many bottles of champagne and exchanged even more hugs and high-fives.

But Keeping’s favorite part?

“Having the baby girl and momma here, it makes me happy because they’re just as excited as I am,” he said through a grin, looking over at his family.

“One day she’ll look back at it and she’ll be tickled to death like I am about it. I’m just excited.”

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media