TEXARKANA, Texas — Texas A&M University-Texarkana’s baseball season is underway, and the Eagles have shown early signs they can score with just about anybody.
A&M-Texarkana opened 5-4 through its first nine games and are currently riding a two-game skid, but the Eagles already have wins over a pair of Top 25 opponents — a 26-16 slugfest against No. 4 Hope International during the Diamond Bank Invitational in Texarkana and a victory Friday over No. 25 Central Methodist.
Winter Storm Fern also reshaped the early schedule. The Eagles lost five potential games when the invitational was interrupted, including planned matchups with Central Christian (Kansas), John Melvin and Avila (Missouri).
Even with the changes, the offense has produced and the losses have been close. A&M-Texarkana has scored 109 runs on 97 hits and hit 12 home runs through nine games.
Redshirt sophomore CJ Richard leads the Eagles with three homers. Sophomore Austin Kerns and junior Brandon Sheets have two apiece. Kerns has a team-high 15 RBIs, followed by senior James Provencia with 14 and Richard with 13.
On the mound, senior left-hander Ty Thomerson is 2-0. Liberty-Eylau graduate Cam Gamble and Alejandro Santos III are tied for the team lead with eight strikeouts.
On Saturday, A&M-Texarkana’s late rally came up short in a 6-5 loss to Central Baptist. The Eagles scored twice in the final inning but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Richard had two hits, and Harrison Barnett took the loss in a brief relief appearance. Santos III started and allowed three runs on five hits in three innings.
A second game against Hastings was also scheduled Saturday.
The Eagles will travel to Idaho on Feb. 13 for a four-game series at Lewis-Clark State. A&M-Texarkana then returns home for a three-game set against conference opponent LSU Alexandria.