STEPHENVILLE – The Texans opened their season on Friday at the Tarleton State Baseball Complex victorious, taking down the Butler Bulldogs 9-4. The Purple and White tied their Division I record for the most runs during an opening day, previously set last season against Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 16, 2024.
Tarleton State (1-0) notched the win in their first of four games this week against Butler (0-1). Many Texans contributed to the opening victory, including Jake Burcham (1-0) with a career-high seven strikeouts through five scoreless innings. The senior’s seven strikeouts broke Tarleton State’s Division I record for most strikeouts on an opening day game. Additionally, Burcham allowed just one hit through 16 batters with zero walks.
Friday’s victory marked the second consecutive opening day win for Tarleton State Baseball. Head Coach Fuller Smith has never lost an opening day game at the helm of Texan Baseball.
It was quite the night to be a Texan senior on Friday. Slade McCloud, Jaime Perez, and Lane Brewster tallied three hits apiece to give the Purple and White a spark on the offensive side of the ball.
Brewster opened up Tarleton State’s scoring run in the second inning, driving in an RBI single to allow McCloud to score the first run of 2025. Perez hit a single shortly after to give the Texans a 2-0 lead later in the inning.
Tarleton State set up runners in scoring position early in the bottom of the fifth from a leadoff single by McCloud and two consecutive walks from Hunter Smith and Ike Shirey. The lead was extended to four runs due to a throwing error by Butler, which drove home McCloud and Smith.
After another pitching substitution from the Bulldogs, Tyson Drake notched an RBI via a sacrifice fly to propel the Texans to a five-run lead. Perez registered one of his three RBIs of the game immediately after, allowing Brewster to score the first run in a Texan uniform.
The Bulldogs fought back in the top of the sixth inning despite a strikeout to open up the inning from Texan pitcher Parrish Beagle. Butler accumulated three runs in the inning to cut the lead 6-3.
Senior catcher Sergio Guerra responded in dominant fashion in the top of the seventh inning, driving in a two-RBI single that scored Carson Lorch and Shirey. This was Guerra’s first hit of the season and a pivotal play in the Texans’ opening victory.
Beagle recorded two consecutive strikeouts in the top of the seventh inning. Perez notched the first home run of Tarleton State’s 2025 campaign, giving the Purple and White a commanding 9-3 lead. This was Perez’s first appearance on the diamond since having season ending surgery last March.
Pitcher Ryan Beaird commanded the final two innings in his first appearance on the mound for the Texans, tallying two strikeouts and only one earned run.
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