SAN MARCOS, Texas – After 346 days, the 30th-ranked Texas State baseball team returns to the field when it opens the 2021 season with a four-game series against BYU at Bobcat Ballpark. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and a single game on Monday and Tuesday with both contests starting at 4 p.m.
 
Both games on Saturday and Tuesday's contest are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman and Ty Harrington on the call. Radio for the series is still to be determined, and any games will air on KTSW 89.9 FM. Live stats will be available for all four games.
 
PROBABLY STARTING PITCHERS
Game 1: TXST – Zachary Leigh (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. BYU – X
Game 2: TXST – Trevis Sundgren (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. BYU – X
Game 3: TXST – Zeke Wood (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. BYU – TBA
Game 4: TXST – TBA vs. BYU – TBA
 
SERIES VS. COUGARS
This weekend will be the first-ever meeting between the Bobcats and Cougars. TXST has previous played Gonzaga (2006) and Santa Clara (2012) in season opening tournaments.
 
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Texas State completed the shortened 2020 season 14-4 and on a seven-game winning streak. The Bobcats return all nine starters led by Wesley Faison. The junior was recently named to the NCBWA Preseason All-America Second Team after lead the team with a .352 batting average, .704 slugging percentage, .455 on-base percentage, six home runs and 15 RBI.
 
Also batting over .300 last year were Will Hollis (.338) and John Wuthrich (.322). They both drove in 12 runs while Dalton Shuffield and Jaxon Williams plated 10 runs apiece.
 
The seven pitchers that made a start last season are all back from last season. Zachary Leigh is slated to get the ball in the season opener for the second year in-a-row. Last year saw him go 1-1 with a 1.88 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 24 innings.
 
Getting the start in the second game on Saturday will be Trevis Sundgren after going 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA and struck out 16. Junior college transfer Zeke Wood will take the rubber on Monday.
 
The bullpen is led by Tristan Stivors, who was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List after recording a 1.17 ERA, four saves and eight strikeouts over 7.2 innings and seven appearances. Freshman All-American Cameron Bush led the staff with a 0.77 ERA while also posting a 2-0 record.
 
Other key returners from the bullpen are Reece Gould (1-0, 2.30 ERA), Garrett Herrmann (0-0, 2.45 ERA), Matthew Nicholas (1-1, 1.59 ERA), Tony Robie (3-0, 3.60 ERA), Otto Wofford (1-0, 0.87 ERA) and Dontae Woodard (0-0, 3.86 ERA).
 
ABOUT BYU
BYU concluded 2020 with a 7-9 record. The Cougars return 26 players from last season with 13 fielders, 11 pitchers and two two-way players.
 
Andrew Pintar is the team's top returning hitter with a .286 average. He also paced BYU in hits (16) and runs (12), and shared the team lead of three doubles with Mitch McIntrye. The only Cougar to reach double-digit RBI was Austin Deming with 10.
 
On the mound, Cy Nielson gets the start for the first game on Saturday. The left-hander was 0-3 with a 4.29 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 21 innings over four starts last year.
 
The only other known starter is Jack Sterner, who will get the ball in the second game of the double header. He made seven appearance in 2020 with all of them coming out of the bullpen. The righty was 1-0 with a staff-low 1.32 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 13.2 innings while holding opponents to a .178 batting average.
 
For all things Texas State baseball, be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.