The Teams: (1) Tarleton State Texans (34-19, 12-6 WAC) vs. (4) Sacramento State Hornets (27-30, 10-8 WAC)
Where: Mesa, Arizona
Stadium: Hohokam Stadium (12,500)
Day and Time: Thursday at 5 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson)
 
QUICK HITS

• Tareton State opens its WAC Tournament run with a quarterfinals matchup against Sacramento State. The Texans just played the Hornets in a three-game series in Sacramento. The Hornets won two of three, with Tarleton State run-ruling Sacramento State 15-4 in the middle game.
• The Texans are 8-6 all-time against the Hornets, all games since 2021. They've met once before in the WAC Tournament, as Tarleton State opened its postseason tournament in 2024 with a 12-6 win against Sacramento State. The Texans won the WAC Tournament that season.
• The Texans are the No. 1 seed in the WAC Tournament this year after winning the outright WAC regular season championship, their first regular season championship in their D1 era and their second conference regular season title in their NCAA era (2013, Lone Star Conference). The 2013 season was also the last time Tarleton State has been the 1-seed in a conference tournament.
• This is Tarleton State's third straight year in the WAC Tournament. The Texans are 5-2 in it.
• The Texans have set their D1 era single-season record for wins, now at 34, surpassing their 32 in 2024. With a win on Thursday, Tarleton State will solidify its ninth 35+ win season (35-17 in 2018, 35-15 in 2011, 35-21 in 1998, 36-23 in 1995, 36-21-2 in 1993, 41-27 in 1992, 41-22 in 1991, 37-22 in 1988).
• Fuller Smith was named WAC Coach of the Year, and six earned spots on All-WAC Teams; OF Rayner Heinrich (First Team), SP Matthew McCullough (Second Team), RP Anthony Treto (Second Team), C Sergio Guerra (Second Team), OF Jake Tatom (Second Team), SS Ike Shirey (Defensive Team).
• The Texans have their most road wins in a season since 2012, going 14-8. Add in neutral site games, and the Texans are 15-11 away from Stephenville this season.

 
Team Comparison (Tarleton State vs. Sacramento State)

• Batting Average (.291 to .271)
• Slugging Pct. (.465 to .400)
• BB/SO (235/420 to 239/465)
• On-Base Pct. (.390 to .368)
• SB-Att (111-137 to 37-50)
• HR (58 to 40)
• 2B (103 to 108)
• 3B (19 to 9)
• Runs (373 to 360)
• ERA (5.65 to 4.91)
• WHIP (1.52 to 1.44)
• Opp. Batting Avg. (.267 to .260)
• SO/BB (393/229 to 478/207)

 
NATIONWIDE
Across the nation (and conference), the Texans rank...
- 7th (1st) in triples (19)
- 10th (1st) in double plays (50)
- 11th (1st) in double plays per game (0.94)
- 11th (1st) in triples per game (0.36)
- 36th (1st) in stolen bases (111)
- 36th (1st) in stolen bases per game (2.09)
- 70th (3rd) in hits (527)
- 73rd (3rd) in batting average (.291)
 
POSTSEASON PLAY
Tarleton State is back in the WAC Tournament for the third straight season, this time as the No. 1 seed. The Texans won the WAC Tournament in 2024 as a 5-seed, becoming the first baseball program to win a conference tournament during NCAA Division I reclassification. The Texans opened that tournament with four straight wins, knocking off 8-seed Sacramento State 12-6, 4-seed California Baptist 5-3, 1-seed Grand Canyon 4-2 and 2-seed Abilene Christian 11-1 (7). The Texans and Lancers matched up again in the championship, with CBU winning the first game 8-4, but Tarleton State secured the title in the winner-take-all nightcap with a 9-1 victory. That was head coach Fuller Smith's first season at the helm. Six players from that season are still members of the team in 2026; Mason Crews (now Director of Player Development / Camp Director), Ike Shirey, Tyson Drake, Sergio Guerra, Slade McCloud and Mason Kirk.
 
Last year, the Texans lost their lone contest as the 6-seed in a single elimination opening round 10-1 against 7-seed UT Arlington.
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
On Tuesday, head coach Fuller Smith was named WAC Coach of the Year in his third season at Tarleton State. The Texans have a historic 2026 campaign thus far, winning their second regular season conference championship in program history and first since 2013. The Texans are the No. 1 seed heading into the WAC Tournament, with already the most wins in their NCAA Division I era. Year-over-year, Smith has turned a 24-32 2025 team into a 34-19 2026 club, with the same amount of conference wins in six fewer conference games, a 12-6 WAC mark. Tarleton State has posted some of its best wins in program history this season, including a 6-1 road win at No. 2 Texas, a 6-5 home win vs. Baylor and a 5-1 road win at Baylor. The Texans entered 2026 with one Power Four conference victory in program history, and have three such victories this season. Tarleton State is 10-4 against SEC, Big 12 and Mountain West Conference opponents this season, with a 7-0 mark against the MWC (four-game sweep at New Mexico, three-game sweep vs. Air Force).
 
Smith has won the fifth conference coach of the year award in Tarleton State Baseball's modern era, joining Bryan Conger (LSC Coach of the Year in 2013), Trey Felan (LSC Coach of the Year in 2003), and Jack Allen (twice LSC Coach of the Year, 1999 and 1998). Across Tarleton State Athletics, Smith is now one of five head coaches named WAC Coach of the Year this season (Texan Men's Golf's Chance Cain, Texan Indoor Track and Field's Bobby Carter, Texan Women's Golf's Isabel Jimenez, Texan Tennis' Elianne Douglas-Miron).
 
FIRST TEAM ALL-WAC
On Tuesday, outfielder Rayner Heinrich earned his second All-WAC postseason recognition in as many years, his first on All-WAC First Team after a spot on the All-WAC Second Team as a freshman last year. Heinrich leads the Texans in nine offensive categories, including batting average (.372), OPS (1.129), runs (47), hits (73), doubles (21), home runs (12), RBI (58), total bases (136) and slugging percentage (.694). Conference-wise, Heinrich finished in the top-seven across nine offensive categories, taking third in batting average, third in OPS, third in doubles, fourth in RBI, fourth in triples (three), fourth in slugging percentage, fifth in total bases, seventh in hits and seventh in home runs. Heinrich also posted a .435 OBP, had 10 steals in 12 attempts, and recorded a .968 fielding percentage on 95 attempts (88 putouts, four assists). Heinrich has started all of his 49 games played, earning a hit in 43, with 14 multi-hit games, five with three hits or more and two with four hits. He posted a season-long 17-game hit streak and had 14 games with multiple RBI
 
OTHER WAC WINNERS
Besides Smith and Heinrich, Tarleton State had five others earn a postseason WAC honor.
 
RHP Matthew McCullough was named Second Team All-WAC as a true freshman. He has the tied-second most wins on the team, owning a 5-2 record across 15 appearances and eight starts. He's posted a 4.71 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 42.0 IP (fourth most on the Texans), allowing a .264 average with 31 strikeouts. In conference play, McCullough especially shined, going 3-0 across six appearances and five starts with a 1.96 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 23.0 IP. He allowed a .221 average with 15 strikeouts. Across McCullough's eight starts on the year, the Texans went 6-2.
 
Anthony Treto earned All-WAC Second Team status in his first year at Tarleton State. The junior RHP owns a 3.30 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 43.2 IP in 23 appearances. He has the tied-most saves on the Texans with seven, and also sports a 2-0 record, allowing a .218 average with 55 strikeouts, most on the team. Treto has the tied-second most saves in the WAC, only behind Utah Tech's Ryan Kroepel (10), tied with fellow Texan Tai Phetluangsy. Treto's seven saves are tied-second most by a Texan in their D1 era, trailing only AJ Wood's nine in 2021.
 
Catcher Sergio Guerra earned his second straight All-WAC Second Team nod. Guerra batted .294 in 43 games (40 starts), with 39 RBI, five home runs and nine doubles. In conference play, he batted .339 with an .808 OPS in 17 games with 14 RBI, a pair of doubles and a home run. He also had 14 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI performances, twice posting five RBI or more. Behind the plate, Guerra posted a .987 fielding percentage on 76 chances, with three caught stealing assists. He had one of the best opening series across the nation, named both Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Week and WAC Baseball Player of the Week, batting .667 (6-for-9) with 13 RBI, six runs, three home runs, and a double in a three-game opening sweep. His weekend performance resulted in a 2.511 OPS, highlighted by a 1.778 slugging percentage and a .733 on-base percentage. In the opener, he belted two home runs and earned eight RBI in a 3-for-3 day, and added five RBI with a home run and a double in a 2-for-4 day in the finale.
 
Outfielder Jake Tatom was one of the best players in conference-action, earning him an All-WAC Second Team spot. Altogether, Tatom batted .290 with seven home runs, five doubles, 30 RBI and 75 total bases, adding 22 walks in 48 games (44 starts). In WAC play, Tatom batted .435 with a 1.207 OPS in 17 games, belting four home runs and four doubles, with 15 RBI, 43 total bases and 12 walks. He posted a .513 on-base percentage in WAC-play, with five steals. Tatom also had a .970 fielding percentage on 100 chances, with 92 putouts and five assists.
 
Rounding out Tarleton State's representation in the WAC awards is shortstop Ike Shirey on the WAC All-Defensive Team, his second straight such honor. Shirey made all of his 48 starts at shortstop, posting a .939 fielding percentage on 198 chances (120 assists, 66 putouts). He was part of 34 double plays across Tarleton State's 50 on the year, the 10th most by a team across NCAA Division I this season.
 
BACK-TO-BACK VS. BAYLOR
Tarleton State spoiled Baylor's four-game winning streak on March 31, improving to 2-0 against the Bears this season, dropping the team from Waco to 16-12 overall, who also had nine Big 12 games under their belt (5-4). The Texans won their third game against a Power Four team this season after entering 2026 with one in program history. Now the Texans have four, three against Baylor, narrowing the all-time series to a 4-3 Baylor advantage, with two Tarleton State wins in Waco (2026, 2023).
 
Tarleton State's pitching staff shut out the Bears after allowing a home run to the first batter of the game, allowing just the one run, five hits, one walk, with 12 strikeouts. LHP Ashton Bassett got the start, his first since March 7, and he dominated. He allowed a run on three hits, no walks, with six strikeouts across four innings, improving to 1-1. Jackson Elizondo relieved him in the fifth, facing trouble with the bases loaded and one out, but induced a double play. He covered two innings, allowing no runs on two hits. Andrew Hardin, Ben Bosse and Anthony Treto each pitched an inning to close it out, not allowing a baserunner with five strikeouts combined.
 
Cage McCloud had the big moment offensively for the Texans, belting a three-run home run in the second inning to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Texan lead.
 
Earlier this year, the Texans beat the Bears 6-5 in front of packed house in Stephenville. After trailing early, Tarleton State scored three unanswered runs between the sixth and seventh innings to take the lead for good. The Texans allowed a single baserunner in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Ethan Jaques earned the win with scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
 
BEST WIN EVER
Tarleton State shocked the No. 2 team in the nation on March 17, handing the Texas Longhorns just their second loss of the season with a 6-1 win in Austin, Texas. Texas entered the day tied with USC with the tied-fewest losses in the nation at one, but the Texans shut out the Longhorns over the final eight innings to earn the upset bid.
 
The Texans allowed just one run and two hits on the game to a Texas team who entered the night with the 12th best scoring mark in the nation (9.9 runs per) and the 15th best batting average (.335). Meanwhile, the Texan offense powered six runs on eight hits against a Texas pitching staff that ranked No. 3 in ERA (2.54), No. 4 in WHIP (1.04), and No. 4 in hits allowed per nine innings (6.1).
 
Texas, ranked No. 2 in the country, represents the highest ranked opponent Tarleton State has faced in program history. This midweek matchup was the fifth all-time meeting between Tarleton State and Texas, the first in nearly 30 years. The Longhorns were 4-0 all-time against the Texans, all games in Austin, with all previous games played between 1994-97.
 
The Texans used five to get the job done. Brendon Carter got the start, allowing a run in the first. Ethan Jaques took the next three and earned the victory, allowing no runs on no hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Jackson Elizondo took the fifth, allowing no runs on no hits. Anthony Treto handled three, allowing no runs on no hits, with five strikeouts. Tai Phetluangsy closed, allowing no runs on one hit with a strikeout.
 
Texas earned its lone run on the second at-bat in the first, a solo home run. That was the Longhorns' only hit until the ninth, with Tarleton State seeing 34 straight Longhorn batters fail to get a hit. With two outs in the ninth inning, the Longhorns got a single.
 
Tarleton State did most of its damage in the fourth inning, turning a one-run deficit into a three-run lead with a four-run frame. Carson Lorch (2-for-3, 2 BB, run) and Slade McCloud (2-for-5, RBI, run) had multi-hit outings.
 
LET'S GET PERSONAL
All of the Tarleton State players have great stories and unique things about them -- here are some of the most notable...
 
#2 Ike Shirey
• Trains horses, plays golf, fishes, hunts
• Came to Tarleton State when head coach Fuller Smith came here
• Plan postgrad is to work in a fire department
 
#3 Kendyl Johnson
• Was a First Team All District WR for high school football team, chose baseball over football because love of the sport -- belives baseball is a more polished game than football, and he loves the pursuit of the small percentage of success
• Favorite movies are Marvel movies
• Favorite shows are anime related
• Favorite video games are Minecraft and Call of Duty
• Favorite memory from his time thus far at Tarleton State have been Bible studies on Fridays and the side quests he goes on with his teammates
• Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball, then be an entrepreneur
• Dad played overseas basketball (Anthony Johnson), and his cousin was part of the infamous Butt Fumble (offensive lineman Brandon Moore)
 
#4 Brady Englett
• Was born in Alabama, lived there until he was 4 years old (Mobile)
• Was a football state champion at safety in high school
• Likes to hunt, hang out with friends
• Rocky IV is favorite movie
• Favorite video game is NBA 2K
• His dad, Todd, played Single A baseball in the Pirates organization
 
#5 Jake Tatom
•  Likes to golf and fish
•  Played for Fuller Smith at Sam Houston
•  Plan postgrad is to coach high school baseball
 
#6 Carson Lorch
•  Big Star Wars fan (especially Revenge of the Sith), and also likes Marvel movies
•  Big video game player (Call of Duty, Fallout, Pokemon)
•  Favorite shows are The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones
•  Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball and then enter the sales business
 
#7 Karsen Davis
•  Is a second degree black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, been doing it his whole life
•  Big-time golfer, has a five handicap
•  Plan postgrad is to open up a tint shop
 
#8 Rayner Heinrich
•  Goes by Baywatch
•  Likes to fish and hunt
•  Favorite movie is Step Brothers
•  Favorite video game is MLB The Show
 
#10 Matt Guthmiller
• Started getting into duck hunting
• Enjoys to play golf every now and then
• Favorite move is Fast and Furious
• Favorite show is Shooter
 
#11 Sergio Guerra
• Big hunter, sells deer on the ranch back home
• His dad played professional baseball in the Indians organization (Pete, catcher for the Double-A team)
 
#12 Raphael Smeenk
•  Plays pool and card games
•  Favorite movie is Moneyball
•  His great grandpa played professional soccer in Brazil
 
#13 Cage McCloud
•  Says he's a scratch golfer
•  Favorite show is Big Brother
•  Favorite video game is Fortnite
•  Joined the Texans to play with his brother
•  Plan postgrad is to open a business, a high-fence ranch
 
#14 Chris Ricard
•  Spends a lot of time outdoors a lot in a small town in Idaho, spends a lot of time in the mountains
•  Favorite shows are Landman, Yellowstone
•  Plan postgrad is to become a strength and conditioning coach
•  Favorite memory at Tarleton State was going to the lakehouse in Granbury with team
•  Dad is a logtruck driver, mom works with kids with special needs
 
#15 Mason Kirk
•  Getting married this summer to Lindsay after five years
•  Watches Big Brother
•  Plan postgrad is to work somewhere in finance, ideally front office of a professional sports team, will get MBA next year here at Tarleton State.
•  Favorite memory at Tarleton State was winning the WAC Tournament his freshman year, dogpiling after.
 
#17 Slade McCloud
• Hunts, fishes, golfs, takes his boxer dog Shep on walks, boxer Shep
• Favorite memory at Tarleton State was winning the WAC Tournament 
 
#18 Tai Phetluangsy
• Wakeboards sometimes, tries to golf
• Favorite movie is Fury
• Favorite show is The Pacific
• Plan postgrad is to be a collegiate coach
• Favorite memory since being here have been the Bible studies
• His dad is in the Marines
 
#20 Braden Gostisha
•  Has a identical twin, Conner, who is working back home
•  Fishes, hunts, golfs
•  Favorite shows are Landman and Yellowstone
•  Favorite movie is Interstellar
 
#21 Brian Panneton
•  Used to competiveily waterski, ended his junior year in high school -- started at 5 years old, parents met on the waterski team at Texas A&M, stopped because of baseball
•  Still waterskis for fun and for good exercise
•  Cooks a lot, specialty is steak
TSU coaches and the culture
•  Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball, and then financial planning
•  Chose Tarleton State partially after lessons with Chad Fox – had an influence in him coming here
 
#23 Cullen Kickhoefer
•  Says he's a goofy guy, likes to have fun, constantly trying to have a good time and make people laugh
•  Hunts, fishes, wood work
•  Favorite shows are The Sopranos and Dexter
•  Favorite movies are Goodfellas and The Godfather
•  His uncle played basketball at Navy, cousin designs missiles for the Navy
 
#24 Aden Lucas
•  Likes to golf, play the guitar, played the last five years
•  Favorite show is Suits
•  Plan postgrad is to enter construction field and eventually become a superintendent
 
#25 Daniel Bass
•  Senior year of high school was his first season playing consistent baseball
•  Likes to bow hunt
•  Favorite show is The 100
 
#27 Ethan Jaques
• Golfs
• Favorite shows are Suits and Breaking Bad
• Interstellar is favorite movie
 
#28 Cort Lowry
•  Is big into duck hunting
•  Considers himself a cowboy, an amateur golfer, semi-pro Fortnite player
•  Plan postgrad is to be an electrician
•  Favorite memory since being here was being part of the Tarpless Texans in the football playoff games
 
#29 Conner Doucet
•  Had three heart surgeries from 18-19 years old
•  Has a dog from the shelter here, Nala – breed is lab mix
•  Favorite show is Peaky Blinders
•  Favorite movie is Hook
•  Favorite video game is Sea of Thieves
•  Considers himself a semi-pro ping pong player
 
#30 Ashton Bassett
•  Golfs, fishes, hunts
•  Has webbed toes
•  Favorite video game is NBA 2K
Favorite shows are Friends, Ted Lasso, Grey's Anatomy
•  Plan postgrad is to play professional baseball and then be an anesthesiology assistant
• His grandpa was a LHP at Miami – went onto the Mets organization, the Triple-A team (Richard Bassett)
 
#31 Anthony Treto
•  Has a ton of hobbies, likes to do as much as he can to stay out of the house (bowling, golf, fishing, hunting)
•  Favorite show is SWAT
•  Favorite movie is 300
•  Favorite memory is the Tarpless Texans and being part of the group at the football playoff games
•  Plan postgrad is to follow father's footsteps in sales, maybe work alongside him, but wants to play baseball as long as he can
 
#32 Corbin Walter
•  Used to play football, sophomore year, stopped to focus on baseball
•  Fishes and races cars sometimes
•  Favorite movie is Ford vs. Ferrari
 
#33 Kasey Swan
• Hunts, fishes, attempts to golf
• Plan postgrad is to enter the oil and gas field
 
#34 Ethan Wendel
•  Owns a lot of animals back home, dogs, cats and ducks
•  Favorite Show is Peaky Blinders
•  Favorite movie is Transformers
•  Hunts, fishes
•  Plan postgrad is to be a sports agent
 
#35 Andrew Hardin
• Likes MLB The Show
• Hunts, fishes
• Favorite movie is Moneyball
• Plan postgrad is to be a chiropractor
• Dad played college baseball at Texas Tech
 
#36 Ben Bosse
• Likes to fly fish and bow hunt
• Likes the show 1923
• Chose Tarleton State partially because of the master's program
• Plan postgrad is to study and work with wildlife, especially quail and duck habitats, wetlands 
 
#37 Carter Coffin
• Big-time outdoorsman, fishing, hunting
•Plan postgrad is to go to game warden school
 
#38 Tyson Drake
• Golfs, fishes, hunts
• Favorite memory at Tarleton State has been winning the WAC Tournament, getting to spend a week with the boys
• Plan postgrad is to get his CPA or work in the bank somewhere
• His dad is a seven-time state champion football coach (Robert Drake)
 
#39 Brendon Carter
•  Played hockey for 12 years, gave it up when he was 15 to pursue baseball -- he was a defenseman, played travel hockey, played in Dallas a lot
•  Watches a bunch of Netflix, favorite shows are Peaky Blinders and Landman
•  Favorite movie is Miracle on Ice
•  Plan postgrad is to be a physical therapist
 
#40 Matthew McCullough
•  Plays video games, hunts, fishes,
•  Has a lot of family who went to Tarleton State, including his mom and dad, who met here, and his brothers
•  Uncle played basketball at Southeastern, cousin plays basketball in Nebraska Wesleyan
 
#43 Jack Lovin
• Can play the piano, has been playing since he was 3 years old
• Likes to ski, been a lifelong skier
• Favorite show is Breaking Bad
• Favorite memory has been going to head coach Fuller Smith's lakehouse with the team and riding the jet skis
• Plan postgrad run is to run his own business
 
UP NEXT
If the Texans win on Thursday, Tarleton State will advance to the WAC Tournament semifinals and face either 2-seed California Baptist or 3-seed Utah Tech on Friday at 1 p.m. CT. If the Texans lose on Thursday, they'll play an elimination game on Friday at 5 p.m. CT.