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| No. 16 McMurry returned Southern California since winning the Regional last May. The War Hawks plated 12 in their season opening win. McMurry athletics photo |
Redlands began their 2026 season with an 8-6 road SCIAC win at Whittier College thanks to a four-run eighth inning. A Poet Whittier triple and RBI ground out in the bottom of the third once again tied the game at four. The Poets then took a 5-4 lead in the sixth with a passed ball. After failing to score for the fourth consecutive inning in the seventh, Redlands came out in the eighth and pushed across four runs. Bullard got things going with a solo home run before Luke Hanson homered to left center for a 7-5 lead. Nate Miller added an insurance run as he drove in Tyler Barsness.
LaGrange opened their 2026 season with a 7-1 victory over Schreiner at the Firehouse Classic Hosted by Huntingdon in non-conference action on Friday evening at Neal Posey Field in Montgomery, Alabama. Huntingdon also defeated Schreiner 16-4 later in the day. LaGrange sophomore pitcher Josiah Chiesa picked up the win, striking out five Mountaineers in four innings. Freshman pitcher Ben Atkinson delivered four shutout innings, allowing just two hits. Huntingdon put together an exemplary performance, lighting up the scoreboard in a 16-4 win over Schreiner. The bats were hot today, as six Hawks had at least two or more hits, with 8 crossing home plate en route to the season-opening rout.
Sophomore righthander Jack Kimsey tossed six and two-third innings and Hardin-Simmons exploded for seven runs in the first inning en route to a 9-7 season-opening win over St. Thomas on Friday night at Hunter Field in Abilene. The Cowboys (1-0) wasted little time, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first inning to seize control. Kimsey (1-0) earned the win, allowing two unearned runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out six. He did not allow an earned run. The six strikeouts tied his career high. Bradley Fletcher and Garrett Keller worked in relief.
Occidental emerged victorious with a 7-5 win over Centenary (La.) on Friday afternoon at Anderson Field. Jackson Short contributed significantly with a home run, while the Gents committed four errors in the loss. Centenary mounted a late rally in the eighth inning, narrowing Occidental's lead with two runs. A walk followed by a wild pitch set the stage for a decisive single to left field, driving in a run and putting the pressure back on Occidental. However, the home team managed to contain the threat and maintain their advantage.Despite Centenary's attempts to close the gap, Occidental's defense held strong, with a crucial double play erasing a late-game threat in the eighth. The home team secured the victory by maintaining composure in the final innings, avoiding any further runs from crossing the plate.
No. 16 McMurry War Hawks faced off against Cal Lutheran at Sparky Anderson Field for their season opener. The final score was 12-4 in favor of McMurry. The game remained scoreless through the first two innings as both teams settled in. McMurry got on the board in the top of the 3rd inning and extended their lead in the 4th inning. McMurry broke the game open in the top of the 5th inning, erupting for seven runs. Collin Bruning highlighted the inning with a two-run home run. Brian Biggs took over on the mound in relief and shut down the Cal Lutheran offense for the remainder of the game, securing the victory.
Texas Lutheran blasted Howard Payne, 16-6, on Friday night at Katt-Isbel Field in seven innings. The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets will conclude the series on Saturday with a doubleheader. Isaiah Ramirez got the Opening Day start for the Bulldogs, allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out two in 3.2 innings of work. Parker Schutte earned the win in relief, allowing one run on two hits, while striking out three in 2.2 innings of relief. Several Bulldogs had big days at the plate led by 4-for-5 performances from Adam Peavy and Brayden Sprencel.
Kody Perry threw five shutout innings to get the win, and Max Pemberton and Rider Gordon added homers as No. 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps opened the year with an 11-0 win at Mary Hardin-Baylor on Friday. Perry pitched 5 innings without allowing any earned runs and striking out six batters while conceding only four hits. Andrew Blackett followed with a perfect inning, striking out one and retiring all three batters faced, contributing to the team's defensive efforts. Parker McGraw closed the game with two innings of work, allowing just one hit and securing two strikeouts. All nine starters had hits for the Stags, led by a 3-for-4 effort from Jett Shue.