The Central Methodist baseball team opened the 2024 campaign ranked No. 22 in the nation. On Friday, the Eagles kicked off the season with two wins over Southwestern Assemblies of God Friday in Waxahachie, Texas.

Central began the day with a 3-1 win over the Lions before unleashing the bats in the second game to win by a lopsided 13-2 score. A third game was scheduled for Saturday but was canceled because of weather.

Newcomer Foster Seitz pitched a gem to open the season. The right-hander from St. Louis tossed a complete game, giving up just one earned run on four hits through nine innings of work.

Valentin Cerna Jr broke a scoreless deadlock in the third with an RBI single to center field to plate Bobby Nichols. In the same inning, Zeb Wede was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring across Central’s second run of the game.

CMU’s final run of the game came courtesy of an RBI-double from Tanner Sears in the top of the sixth. SAGU’s only run of the nine-inning game came by way of a balk in the ninth.

In game two, the Eagles scored 13 runs on 12 hits. Cerna Jr., Sears, Jeremy Conforti, and David Soriano each recorded two hits, while Cerna Jr. and Wede each blasted solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively.

Sears led the offense, driving in three runners, and smashed a two-RBI double in the fifth inning.

Senior outfielder Bobby Nichols also swiped two bases in the effort.

Sebastian Escobar earned his first win of the year on the mound, throwing five complete innings and allowing just one earned run on two hits with one walk. He finished the evening by striking out five batters.

Alexander Billo and Justin Stedry each pitched an inning in the later innings to preserve the win.

Central will next play four games in the Cajun Collision starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, in Sterlington, La., against Texas Wesleyan. The Eagles face Oregon Tech at 11 a.m. and then George Gwinnett at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. They finish off the road trip against McPheerson with a 2:30 p.m. game on Saturday.

The Eagles open a 12-game home stand on Friday, Feb. 16, with a doubleheader against Roosevelt (Ill.) to open the home portion of the season. The first pitch is at noon.

During that home stand, Central kicks off Heart action with four games against Graceland with doubleheaders starting at 1 p.m. on March, 2 and 3. The Eagles are home for all but one series in March, which takes place against Wm. Penn March 9 and 10.