STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State Baseball (3-0) had an undefeated Saturday slate, taking down Butler (0-3) in both games of this weekend’s doubleheader.
Texans put up 31 runs against the Bulldogs, the most in an NCAA Baseball game in 2025
The Purple and White took the first game in dominant fashion, taking down the Bulldogs, 31-5. Tarleton State’s 31 runs are currently the most in a NCAA Division I Baseball game this season. This marked Tarleton State’s largest win in the Division I era as well as the program’s most runs scored in the Division I era.
Brian Panneton (1-0) received the win during his debut for the Purple and White, striking out five batters in four innings of work.
Tyson Drake, who led the Texans with nine home runs during their 2025 WAC Championship campaign, notched a stellar three home runs against Butler in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader. Drake also registered a Tarleton Division I record eight RBIs, with four of them coming from a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Following Saturday’s performance, Slade McCloud became the only Texan to record multiple hits in all three games of the 2025 season. The Robinson, Texas, native has nine hits on only 14 at bats thus far.
The Purple and White came out of the first inning with a 2-1 lead despite giving up an early run. McCloud scored the first run of the day via an error, followed by Carson Lorch. Tarleton State extended its lead to four after a three-run homer from Drake that drove in Ike Shirey and Braden Gostisha. Jaime Perez kept his momentum going from a three-hit opening day performance, notching an RBI single that scored McCloud.
After two consecutive walks that loaded the bases for the Texans, Gostisha hit a no-doubter to center field for the first grand slam of 2025. This pivotal play accounted for four of Gostisha’s seven RBIs in game one.
Drake and McCloud hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Purple and White a massive 17-3 lead. The fourth stanza was capped off by a two-RBI single from Lane Brewster that drove in Jaime Perez and Trace Morrison. Hunter Smith scored on a wild pitch immediately after, making it an 18-run ballgame.
Freshman pitcher Peyton Fiene relieved Panneton of his duties at the top of the fifth. Fiene compiled two innings of work during his first game in a Tarleton uniform and put away two batters via swinging strikeouts in the sixth inning.
Following Drake’s grand slam, Blake Wilson and Matthew Guthmiller tallied back-to-back singles. This sparked another frenzy of runs from the defending WAC Champions, who ultimately took the afternoon matchup, 31-5.
Tarleton State Baseball keeps momentum going from historic game, completes the doubleheader sweep against Butler on Saturday evening
The Butler Bulldogs responded early in game two where they obtained a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning. Wilson, who subbed in at second base for an injured Lorch, shifted the momentum with a leadoff double. Drake and McCloud then loaded the bases with zero outs. A fielding error by the Bulldogs allowed Hunter Smith to reach first base while scoring Wilson for the Texans’ first run. Morrison and Gostisha then combined for four RBIs to cut the lead to one.
Senior infielder Ike Shirey reached on a bunt single, driving in Morrison and bringing the Texans all the way back from a five-run deficit. The Bulldogs made a pitching substitution following Shirey’s at bat. After a sacrifice fly from Wilson and a score off a balk from Shirey, the Texans found themselves up by two through three periods. Aden Lucas (1-0) pitched the entirety of the fourth inning for Tarleton, striking out two of his first three batters.
Butler accumulated two runs in two innings to make it a brand-new ballgame, 7-7. Tarleton State answered this with a four-run spurt in the fifth. This run was fueled by singles from Shirey, Drake, and McCloud as well as Brewster drawing a hit-by-pitch. The Purple and White then found themselves in a commanding 11-7 position.
Junior pitcher Ethan Jaques didn’t allow a single runner on base during the sixth and seventh innings, allowing the Texans to hold onto their lead. Jaques registered four strikeouts during Saturday evening’s matchup. The bulldogs picked up the pace with a triple in the eigth inning that ultimately helped cut the lead to two.
In the ninth inning, the Purple and White elected to go with Ben Bosse to close out the second half of the doubleheader. Bosse allowed no runs and was credited with the save during Tarleton State’s 11-9 victory.
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