The Teams: Tarleton State (26-26, 16-11 WAC) vs. UT Arlington (20-32, 14-13 WAC)
Where: Arlington, Texas
Ballpark: Clay Gould Park
Day and Time: Friday (DH) 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday- 1 p.m.
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
 
About the Matchup
 
Game Notes
• The history between the two programs began in 1989 in Arlington where the Texans fell to the Mavericks 1-6.
• In April of 2022, Tarleton State hosted UTA for the first time, marking the 16th loss to see a 1-16 overall record.
• The 2023 season welcomed four matchups between the Mavericks and the Texans with a three-game series in Stephenville where the Purple and White secured their second ever win over UTA in the finale to finish the weekend, 1-2. The fourth meeting was hosted by UTA and saw a 6-5 final in favor of the home team.
• Tarleton State is coming off a weekend series against Utah Valley where the Texans dropped the first pair of games but ended Senior Day with a win over the Wolverines.
• UTA is headed into the weekend after a pair of losses to Seattle U to go 1-2 on the weekend.
• This is the Texans best Division I record in program history and best overall record through 50 games since 2018 when Tarleton State finished 35-17, competing in the Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament and the NCAA Regional Tournament. In the 2024 season, the Texans will make their first ever appearance in Division l postseason play at the 2024 University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament.
 
Quick Hits
• Grant Garza is ranked amongst the top 50 in the nation for best ERA. Garza is placed 45th in the nation with a 2.98 ERA, putting him in first place in the conference for best ERA. Reese Bassinger is second in the WAC for best ERA at 3.29.
•  Garza is also tied for 15th in the nation for most wins at 8-1.   
• Ike Shirey is 3rd in the WAC for stolen bases with 18. 
• The Texans welcome a new head coach in the 2024 season, Fuller Smith. Smith is accompanied by Nick Zaleski, RD Spiehs and Cody Semler in their inaugural year with the Texan Baseball program. 
•  In his first season with the Purple and White, Coach Smith is on track to share a seat at the table with some of the best season records of previous coaches in their first year at Tarleton State at 26-26. Lee Driggers amassed 37 wins in his inaugural season at Tarleton State. Bill Clay and Trey Felan secured 31 wins each in their first season, while Jack Allen tallied 29 and Bryan Conger finished with 28. 
• Right handed pitcher, Will Stevens was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 15th round of the MLB Draft in 2023. Stevens takes the slot as the ninth Texan in program history to be selected in the MLB's first year player draft.

Fuller Smith Era
       On June 8, 2023, Fuller Smith was named the newest leader of Tarleton State's Baseball program. The Alabama, native, has had a hand in the success of various programs, several of which the Texans will face in conference play. In the previous season, Smith wrapped up his three-year stint as an assistant coach for Sam Houston State University. Prior to his time in Huntsville, Smith spent six seasons at UT Arlington as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The 2008 Ole Miss graduate has a plethora of experience that will be a core source of success for the Purple and White this season. The Fuller Smith Era (on the field) will officially commence with the weekend series against the SLU Lions. 
 
 
In the Box
        A handful of returners have put up some impressive stats in the 2024 season and have proven to be a leading force for the Texans at the plate. Tyson Drake leads the team in several categories including runs (51), home runs (8), and slugging percentage (.491) and is tied for most triples (2). Trace Morrison has nine doubles on the season, 26 RBI and is one of five Texans that have tripled this season. Kooper Shook is fourth in doubles (10) and has one homer on the season and a .374 on-base percentage. Cole Miears has seven home runs, nine doubles, 39 RBI, and is sitting at a .473 slugging percentage and .570 on-base percentage to lead the team and holds a 35-game streak for getting on-base. Miears has contributed 57 hits, nine doubles and 39 runs. Mason Hammondshas also found his stride in the box as the Purple and White's leader in doubles (15). Hammonds has four home runs on the season,leads the team in hits (59) and has tallied 28 RBI on the season. Cris Enriquez leads the team in RBI (45) and batting average (.315). Enriquez has 56 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, and five homers on the season. He has a .472 slugging percentage and a .395 on-base percentage. 
 
Strength in Numbers
  With a 40-man roster in the 2024 season, the Texans have a great balance of experience within the program. The Tarleton State roster is made up of nine freshman, five sophomores, 15 juniors, and 10 seniors. Out of the 25 upperclassmen on the team, only nine are new to Texan Nation. 
 
 
Next Up
    Following the completion of regular season action in Arlington, the Texans will make their first ever DI appearance in post season play in Mesa, Arizona at the WAC Tournament beginning May 21-25. 
 
Recognition
         To kick off the season, Senior, Zach Poe found his name on the 2024 Preseason All-WAC Team. The Madisonville, Texas, native is a strong arm for the Texans leading the team with the best ERA and WHIP. The right-handed pitcher also leads the team in appearances for the third consecutive season with 23, all out of the bullpen. The most recent recognition for the Texans came on Feb. 26 with Brandon Howell taking the WAC Player of the Week title. In the home opener for the Purple and White, Howell had one of his best collegiate career games with two home runs, one tying the game for the home team and the second winning the game with a walk-off grand slam. Howell also received The Grove Student Athlete of the Month for the month of February. He also took the Purple Thursday Special Performance of the Month for February. 
 
       
Broadcasting On the Worldwide Leader
       Part of the latest renovations to the Tarleton Baseball Complex and Tarleton Softball Complex included the capability to match ESPN standards of multiple camera angles on the broadcast. With that, Tarleton will stream select 2024 baseball and softball home games on ESPN+. All games that are not broadcasted on ESPN+ will be broadcasted on WAC International. 
 
WAC Preseason Poll
       Tarleton was chosen to finish 9th out of 11 schools in the WAC preseason poll. The poll was released on February 6.  The Texans received 34 total votes and slotted in ahead of Stephen F. Austin and Utah Tech. Grand Canyon was picked to win the league, followed by Utah Valley and California Baptist. 
 
 
Hometown hero
          Trace Morrison is a Stephenville, Texas, native, that has made a large impact on the Texan Baseball program. The sophomore made some stellar contributions on the field in his first season with Tarleton State. In the 2024 season as a sophomore, Morrison is batting .281 with 29 runs on 51 hits, nine doubles, one triple, one home run and 26 RBI.