Waxahachie, Texas - The No. 22 Central Methodist Baseball team opened the 2024 campaign with a pair of wins over Southwestern Assemblies of God Friday in Waxahachie, Texas. 

Central began the day with a 3-1 win over the Lions in game one, before unleashing the bats in the second game, winning 13-2. The third game scheduled to be played Saturday was cancelled because of weather. 

Newcomer Foster Seitz pitched a gem in game one, tossing a complete game and giving up just one earned run on four hits through nine innings of work to earn the win. 

Valentin Cerna Jr broke the scoreless deadlock in the third with an RBI-single to centerfield to plate Bobby Nichols. In the same inning, Zeb Wede was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring Central's second run of the game across for the score. 

CMU's final run of the game came courtesy of an RBI-double from Tanner Sears in the top of the sixth. SAGU's only run of the nine-inning game came in the ninth came on a balk. 

In game two, the Eagles scored 13 runs on 12 hits. Cerna Jr., Sears, Jeremy Conforti, and David Soriano all recorded two hits, while Cerna Jr. and Wede each blasted solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings respectively. 

Sears led the bats, driving in three runners including a two-RBI double in the fifth inning. 

Senior outfielder Bobby Nichols also swiped two bases in the effort. 

Sebastian Escobar earned his first win of the year on the bump, throwing five complete innings and allowing just one earned run on two hits with one walk. He finished the evening striking out five batters. 

Alexander Billo and Justin Stedry each pitched an inning in the later innings to preserve the win. 

Central stands at 2-0 and will next compete in the Cajun Collision beginning Thursday, Feb. 8 in Sterlington, La. 

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