Posted: Feb 21, 2026
Baseball out-slugs Huston-Tillotson in HBCUAC Opener
After struggling to put together hits in a 4-0 loss, Wiley University baseball bounced back with 7-1 and 11-4 victories to claim its opening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) series over Huston-Tillotson University, Friday and Saturday at Coker Field.
The Wildcats (8-8, 2-1 HBCUAC) win their opening HBCUAC series for the fourth consecutive season. They improved to 6-3 at home. It's their second home series win over the Rams in their last three.
FRIDAY
GAME 1
GAME 1
Wiley only put up three hits. In the first inning, it had runners in scoring position with one out. Two strikeouts ended the inning. Amir Mason recorded the Wildcats' first hit with a leadoff single in the fourth. He advanced to second on Ivan Del Villar's deep flyball to left field. A flyout and strikeout ended the frame. Orenthal Lewis led off the fifth with a single but was thrown out at second. John Barajas singled with two outs in the seventh.
Nick Rodriguez started and threw 4 1/3 innings. He kept the Rams scoreless in the first, second and fourth innings. Only one of the three runs he allowed were earned. Rodriguez struck out three batters. Juan Pena threw the last 2 2/3 innings.
The Wildcats fell behind in the third inning. With one out and two on, Alec Worden reached on a groundball to shortstop. Wiley got an out at second but an errant throw to first allowed Huston-Tillotson to score. A second throwing error brought home another run. The Rams added runs in the fifth and sixth.
GAME 2
Six of Wiley's nine hitters got hits and scored runs. Wiley took the lead in the third inning. Kaleb Gilner led off with an infield single to third. He advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Mason brought him home with a double down the right field line. He stole third when Del Villar struck out. Trey Clark brought him home with a single to shortstop.
The Wildcats broke the game open in the fourth inning. Gilner led off with a walk. On a hit-and-run, Eddie Garza hit the ball to the wall in right-center field for a double. Gilner slid in just under the tag to put Wiley on the board. With one out, Del Villar walked, and Clark brought everyone home with his first home run of the season. With two outs, Ajari Camp hit the ball over the left field wall for his first blast of the season.
Ethan Jones picked up his second win. He limited the Rams to a run on two hits in six innings. Jones retired the side in the third inning. Huston-Tillotson only had runners reach second base in two innings. Reyli Escobedo closed out the game and retired the last three batters after allowing a leadoff single.
SATURDAY
GAME 3
GAME 3
Huston-Tillotson took a 3-1 lead in the third inning on a two-run home run by Danny Hernandez. Wiley answered in the bottom half. Garza led off with a walk and stole second, but he was thrown out at third on a groundball. Del Villar doubled to left and Clark scored Mason on a groundball to second.
The Wildcats took control in the fourth inning. Estevan Baca retired the side, striking out two of the three hitters he faced. Orenthal Lewis led off with a single to left. Jaziel Martinez doubled down the left field line. With one out, Gilner singled to left and took second on the throw. Lewis and Cameron McCoy, who courtesy ran for Martinez, scored to give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead. Garza walked and stole second while Gilner swiped third. Mason brought both of them home with a single to right. A wild pitched moved Mason to second. Del Villar hit his second double to the left field wall to bring home Mason.
After both teams scored in the fifth, the Wildcats added three insurance runs in the eighth. Mason led off with a single and advanced to third on Del Villar's double. Clark walked, and the pitch hit home plate and bounced over the backstop, which scored Mason. Camp hit an RBI single through the left side. Clark stole home when Devin Gladney walked.
Baca earned his first win and threw a complete game. He held the Rams to four runs with three earned on seven hits and struck out five batters.
The Wildcats are idle next week. They will visit Texas A&M University-Texarkana on March 3.
For more coverage on the Wildcats, visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/bsb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
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