The Wiley College baseball team launched five home runs in a 28-1 rout over Texas College in the 2023 season opener Friday at Ed Moore Field in Woldert Park. The Wildcats (1-0) win their opening game for the third time in the last four seasons. It’s their largest Opening Day victory in program history. The five home runs are tied for the most in a single game in program history. They last accomplished the feat against LeTourneau University in 2012.
Jhan Carlos Javier hit his first home run of the season in the second inning, which extended Wiley College’s lead to 7-0. In his first at-bat of the season, Marquis Kuykendall hit a two-run blast in the fourth inning. Matthew Drabbant hit his first career home run in the fifth inning with a two-run blast to left. Later in the inning Bryce Garrett hit a two-run blast to left. In his first career at-bat, Alexander San Miguel hammered the ball over the left field fence for a grand slam in the seventh inning.
Wiley College scored in five of seven innings. It took the lead in the first. Eddie Garza led off with a walk and stole second. With two outs, Javier drove him in with a single. The Wildcats pulled away with a six-run second. Traylon Ansley led off with a walk. Luis Chapa reached on a fielder’s choice and Colby Chilek walked to load the bases. Ansley scored on a wild pitch. Luis Mares bunted and reached first. An errant throw by Texas College’s pitcher Dillon Fisk allowed three more runs to score.
After the top of the third inning, head coach Kendrick Biggs pulled his starters. Thirty-two players saw action, including 13 freshmen who made their debuts. Javier went 2-for-2 with two runs batted in. Drabbant recorded two hits and drove in three runs. Devin Molina drove in two runs during the Wildcats’ 15-run fifth with a single. Albert Thurston II hit a two-RBI double in the fifth. Abiel Trevino reached three times. He recorded a hit, RBI and stole two bases. Isaac Burciaga got the start on the mound and held Texas College to an unearned run on a hit, walk and two strikeouts to pick up his first win. Kai Woodard pitched two innings and struck out four batters. Ivan Del Villar struck out three in an inning. Jalen Porter and AJ Garcia pitched the last two innings. The five pitchers combined for a walk and 11 strikeouts.