BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH SPLIT AT NELSON
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Avila | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
|
Nelson (Texas) | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | X | 11 | 10 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Avila | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 1 |
|
Nelson (Texas) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 8 |
WAXAHACHIE, Texas – Avila baseball traveled just outside of the Dallas area this weekend to open the 2026 season with four games against the Nelson Lions. The Eagles split the opening pair of games, losing 11-1 before taking the second, 12-6.
Nelson's bats jumped on the Avila pitching staff early in the opener, hitting a trio of home runs in the first four innings and adding five more runs throughout the contest.
Aaron McLeod-Smith scored JJ Stubblefield in the fourth inning on an RBI single for Avila's lone run of the first game.
The Eagle offense came alive in the second game to get Avila in the win column.
Avila's top four hitters in game No. 2 combined to go 10-19 with six runs scored and five RBI.
Nelson got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings. From there, Avila slowly fought back.
Tommy English opened the scoring with an RBI to score Emmanuel Ealey for Avila's first run in the third inning.
Joey Reichmuth followed up an inning later with a solo home run.
The Lions added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning and after four, Avila trailed 5-2.
A five-run top of the fifth gave Avila a lead they would not surrender.
Avila got a pair of runs on a wild pitch and an error. With runners on the corner, Reichmuth blasted his second homer of the day, this time a three-run shot, to give Avila a 7-5 lead.
After Nelson got one back in the sixth, Avila put up four more runs in the final frame.
Stubblefield came to the plate and blasted a three-run home run to give the Eagles their 10th run of the afternoon.
Two batters later, Caden Stillwell knocked in English with an RBI double. Will Clark recorded Avila's 12th run with a sac fly to score Stillwell and finalize the 12-5 scoreline.
Ryan Wingerd picked up the win on the mound for Avila, pitching a shutout fourth inning. Jorden Rugg came on in relief to get the save, pitching three innings and allowing just one run.
Reichmuth (four) and Stubblefield (three) drove in seven of Avila's 12 runs and six of Avila's nine batters recorded multiple hits in the contest.
The two teams will play again on Saturday from Texas. First pitch tomorrow begins at 12 PM.
(photo credit: Rhett Rogers)
