STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Baseball (3-6) fell to St. Thomas (3-2) during the first game of this weekend's series, 11-6, on Friday afternoon at the Tarleton Baseball Complex.

The Tommies put up 13 hits opposed to 10 hits from the Purple and White. St. Thomas also struck out six batters while Tarleton State tallied four strikeouts.

Tyson Drake and Ike Shirey posted two solo home runs to lead the Texans offensively. Drake now has six home runs through nine games, vaulting him into the NCAA Division I top five for home runs this season. The junior is now just three home runs away from tying his 2024 total.

The Tommies started off hot in the first inning, registering three singles and two walks during their first five at bats. This propelled them to an early 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the opening stanza.

Tarleton State's Rayner Heinrich notched his first of two doubles in the bottom of the first inning, marking four straight appearances with a hit for the freshman. Heinrich has a team-high three doubles in just four games played. The Texans were unable to capitalize off the double, leaving the first inning scoreless.

St. Thomas' catcher Max Moris extended the Tommies' lead to six with a double to left center during the top of the second. The game remained at 6-0 until the bottom of the third inning, when Drake launched a deep shot to right field to give Tarleton State momentum.

The Tommies tacked on a run in the fourth inning as well as four runs in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of two-RBI doubles from Matthew Maulik and Brigs Richartz. This gave St. Thomas an 11-1 advantage through five innings.

Shirey scratched off a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to add to Tarleton State's home run total on Friday. This marked Shirey's eighth hit and fourth RBI of the 2025 season.

Freshman pitcher Damian Castorena made his Texan debut on the mound during the top of the seventh inning, striking out his first batter. Castorena orchestrated a scoreless inning in his first appearance for the Purple and White. RJ Johnston also made his Texan debut, relieving Castorena of his duties in the eighth inning and did not allow a run.

Mason Kirk and Shirey hit two consecutive singles to lead off the eighth stanza. Blake Wilson reached on an error from the Tommies' shortstop that drove in Kirk and Shirey, cutting the lead to seven runs.

Raef Wright tallied his first hit in a Tarleton State uniform in the bottom of the ninth inning, a two-RBI double that scored Shirey and Kirk. Tarleton State, however, was unable to rally back and ultimately dropped the series opener 11-6.

The Texans will continue their series against St. Thomas with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon starting at 1 p.m. This will be the third of four doubleheaders for Tarleton State this season. Get tickets here.