Jags set to open conference play vs. A&M-Texarkana

The UHV baseball team has started its 2024 campaign red-hot.

The Jaguars (7-1) are enjoying the program's best start ever through two series after series wins over Wayland Baptist and Mid-America Christian University.

Now, UHV will look to start Red River Athletic Conference play the same way when it welcomes Texas A&M-Texarkana (1-7) to Riverside Stadium for a three-game series starting with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. The series will conclude at 1 p.m. Sunday. The series was pushed back due to forecasted rain on Friday.

"Obviously we want to win and sweep the series," said head coach Jonathan Stavinoha. "Goal number one is coming out good on Saturday and playing the game how we've been playing it and take the next step forward."

Stavinoha, who spent five years as the associate head baseball coach/recruiting coordinator for the Eagles, doesn't want TAMUT's record to fool his team.

The Eagles are coming off the Cajun Collision tournament in Sterlington, Louisiana, where they faced No. 22 Central Methodist, No. 25 Freed-Hartman and Loyola, who is receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Poll.

"They've been playing some close ballgames and are on the verge of putting it together," Stavinoha said. "They're always a dangerous team and Jonesy (head coach Steve Jones) is going to have them ready to play this series. We've got to come out and just play our game, stick together and continue to compliment each other."

The Jaguars have put their game together early on, especially pitching.

The staff ERA of 2.89 currently leads the RRAC and ranks 15^th in the NAIA. All four starters – Mason Longoria, Brady Parker, Julian Garcia and freshman Jacob Baker – each threw complete games in the team's series win over Mid-America Christian two weeks ago.

Longoria, Parker and Garcia are UHV's probable starters, and Baker is slated to take on a bullpen role for the three-game series.

"That's something that's unheard of. I've never seen that in my career," Stavinoha said of his starters' performances. "I've got all the confidence in the world in our bullpen right now. Adding Baker onto those guys out there, it's going to solidify the depth a little out there."

UHV's bats have also made an impact out of the gate with five starters – Hayden Leopold (.444), Kyle Barosh (.429), Juan Martin (.364), Hal Perez (.333) and Julian DeLeon (.300) – hitting .300 or better.

During the MACU series, the Jaguars got home runs from Perez (2), Martin and Kaden Fikac, the team's first homers of the season.

"One thing to point out is we've faced some really good pitching. I don't know if we'll see the level of pitching we've seen so far," Stavinoha said. "We'll see guys who are similar, for sure. But to be able to compete against those top arms we've faced is something to be happy about. We've just got to take the same approaches, have great at-bats and keep the offense rolling."

That offensive success has helped UHV go 3-0 in one-run games this season. In 2023, the team was 6-6 in games decided by one run.

"I expect that every single time out now," Stavinoha said. "The ability for our team to seem so in sync these first eight games is really promising and brings a lot of confidence to the team. Hopefully, we can keep that going."