AVILA BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT

WAXAHACHIE, Texas – Avila baseball began its 2025 campaign with a doubleheader split versus Nelson University (Texas), winning Game 1, 13-9, but falling in the second game, 4-2.

The Eagles opened the season off with scoring in the top of the first inning in the first game. The second batter of the game, Landon Vahle, was hit by a pitch before stealing second and third base. Jack Virden then ripped a double down the left field line to score Vahle and get the scoring started for the 2025 version of Avila baseball.

Zach Dillman, the cleanup hitter, blasted a two-run homer to give Avila a 3-0 lead before Cashen Schranz could step to the rubber.

Schranz put up a scoreless first and second inning before the Eagles would come to bat in the third.

Walks each from Vahle and Virden set up stolen bases from the two as Vahle scored on a wild throw. The following batter, Ricky Dober, would reach base on another Nelson error, scoring Virden. Avila would get its third run of the inning on a bases loaded walk to Paxton Andrade, scoring Luke Ruhl.

Defensive errors in the bottom half of the inning would get Nelson on the board. A fourth-inning Avila wild pitch and error would set up a two-run home run for the Lions as Avila held on to a 6-4 lead heading into the fifth.

Avila's Gio Armas would answer back with a two-run single in the top of the fifth. Nelson would put up four runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning. The Eagles still held an 8-7 lead entering the sixth.

Nelson blasted a three-run shot in the bottom of the sixth, which sent Avila to the top of the seventh down a run in the opening game of the season.

Three singles from Robby Cable, Vahle and Virden added four runs before Vahle scored on a passed ball.

Avila's Christian Whiting came in in the bottom of the seventh and shut the door with a scoreless inning to shut the door and give Avila a 13-9 Game 1 victory.

The second game was less kind to the Eagles.

Avila got on the scoreboard thanks to a bases-loaded walk in the second inning. Nelson added a run of its own in the fourth. Vahle would score on a throwing error in the fifth before Nelson would put the game away in the bottom of the fifth with three runs via two singles to give the Lions a 4-2 win and split the season-opening doubleheader.

The two teams will be back at it on Saturday with another doubleheader beginning at noon.