Eagles Soar to Double Victory on Opening Day

TEXARKANA, Texas- The Texas A&M University-Texarkana Baseball team started their season off on the right note after earning themselves a pair of wins this afternoon versus the Valor of Evangel University. 

Game 1: 

The Eagles edged out the Valor in a tightly contested match up. Heading into the top of the sixth inning the Eagles had a 7-1 lead over the Valor, however Evangel put up a six-run inning and tied the ball game. Austin Kerns would lay down a bunt in the bottom of the sixth, that would give Rian Cellers the opportunity to go for home and get the lead back into the hands of the Eagles, and Cellers would do just that. The Eagles showcased resilience, fueled by key offensive moments. Jose Parreno would hit the first home run of the season for the Eagles in the bottom of the fifth inning and bring in James Provencio on his way around the bases. On the mound, Marcus Tidwell sealed the victory in relief, striking out two of Evangel's lineup, and held the Valor scoreless in the final inning, and the Eagles emerged victorious with a final score of 8-7.

Game 2: 

The Eagles showcased dominance on the field in the second game. TAMUT jumped out to an early lead over the Valor with an explosive eight runs across the first two innings, highlighted by Jonathan Rios' two doubles and two RBIs. The Eagles' bullpen also shone, with Harrison Barnett striking out five and allow just two runs over 4.1 innings. And the relievers locked things down, holding the Valor to just one unearned run through the final innings. The Eagles took the second game 13-3. 

Interim Head Coach Chase Brewster reflected on the successful day, saying, "It was a great day for the school and the community. We had an outstanding turnout, which is awesome to see on a Friday morning with school and work going on. We're excited about that."

Coach Brewster also celebrated his first collegiate win as a head coach, praising his team's performance. "Gage Mason delivered exactly what we expected as a senior. He's worked hard these past five years, and we knew he wanted to leave a legacy. It was his last opening day start, and he showed up in a big way. Early-season baseball always brings some unpredictability, especially with the bullpen, who's nervous and not, but we battled through adversity to get the win.

"Regarding Game 2, Brewster added, "Harrison Barnett was phenomenal, and our offense was outstanding. Josiah Taylor, Jonathan Rios, and several others made sure we didn't have to stress about pitching by putting up a lot of runs early."

The two teams will face off against one another once more tomorrow for two final showdowns. First pitch for game one is set for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for game two.