Victoria, Texas - The No. 14 Central Methodist Baseball program opened the 2025 campaign at the South Texas Shuffle, hosted by Houston-Victoria this past weekend in Victoria, Texas.
The three-team tournament featured No. 14 CMU, No. 13 Mid-America Christian, and (RV) Houston-Victoria.
Central split the weekend, knocking off No. 13 MACU in two games Saturday, before falling to UHV in their final two games Sunday.
Game 1: No. 14 CMU 10 - No. 13 Mid-America Christian 3
Central's bats were on fire in the first game of the year, scoring nine runs in the first three innings of work against the Evangels.
CMU scored its 10 runs on 12 hits, while capitalizing on five errors by the MACU defense.
Kyle Williams batted two-for-three with a walk, two runs scored and four RBI. He also recorded an RBI triple.
Ryan Malzahn picked up three hits in four at-bats with a pair of RBI and a double.
Junior Zeb Wede recorded Central's first home run of the year in the bottom of the second inning. He also finished the day with a walk and two runs scored in the win.
Cesar Morales got the start on the bump, tossing three and a third innings and allowing just one earned run on four hits.
Justin Stedry earned the win after throwing the next two and two thirds innings, giving up no runs and striking out two.
Nicholas Neighbours pitched the final inning, striking out one.
Game 2: No. 14 CMU 14 - No. 13 Mid-America Christian 6
CMU continued its hot start with six runs in the opening inning in game two. MACU responded with five runs in the second and ultimately tied the game at 6-6 in bottom of the fourth.
Central's bats were silent until the sixth and seventh innings, scoring five runs in the sixth and three in the seventh to secure the 14-6 win.
Wede batted three-for-five with a double and three RBI, while Tanner Sears also tallied three hits while driving in one.
David Soriano picked up two hits including a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Williams also homered in the seventh for the Eagles' 14th and final run of the day.
Landon Winingham earned his first win of the year, coming out of the bullpen and tossing three and a third innings, allowing no earned runs on two hits and striking out five.
Game 3: (RV) Houston-Victoria 3 - No. 14 CMU 0
It was a pitcher's duel in the first five innings between CMU and Houston-Victoria, as the bats for both teams went silent.
The Eagles, tallied four hits in the first three innings, but were unable to bring any runs across the plate.
Foster Seitz got the start on the mound for Central, tossing a no-hiter through the first five innings with four strikeouts, two walks, and two hit batters.
The Jaguars broke up the no-hitter bid in the sixth with back-to-back base hits.
Two batters later they broke the deadlock, scoring the first run of the game. UHV would ultimately plate three in the inning.
CMU tried rallying in the seventh and, despite getting a runner on base, the Jaguars pitching closed the game out, handing Central their first loss of the year.
The Eagles finished the game with five hits while Houston-Victoria recorded four.
Game 4: (RV) Houston-Victoria 3 - No. 14 CMU 1
The second game of the day mimicked that of the first, as both starters brought their A game.
CMU had the first hits of the game with back-to-back singles from Valentin Cerna Jr. and Williams in the top of the third.
The Jaguars' pitching continued to hold strong though, escaping the inning scoreless.
Darius Freeman led off with a single in the fourth, but Central was unable to bring him home.
Tyler Coakley had a phenomenal first three innings of work, allowing just two batters to reach base while notching three strikeouts.
However, Houston-Victoria's offense got the better of him in the fourth, plating two runs on two base hits.
The Eagles got one run back in the sixth after Malzahn singled to bring Williams in from third, making it a 2-1 game.
The Jaguars increased their lead back to two in the bottom half after an RBI single.
Central's offense was unable to answer in the seventh, as UHV escaped with a 3-1 win.
Williams recorded a multi-hit game, going two-for-three at the dish.
Up Next:
The Eagles will travel to play four games in the Cajun Collision beginning Friday, Feb. 7 in Sterlington, La.
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