New Start: Scorpions begin 2009 slate against Wayland Baptist

The sound of bats cracking and gloves popping will be in full effect today at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College's Scorpion Field.

UTB-TSC will open the NAIA baseball season by playing host to Wayland Baptist in a four-game series, with back-to-back doubleheaders starting at 4 p.m. today for the teams' season opener.

The Scorpions are coming off their first postseason berth since 2000 and have lost four players from last season's playoff squad.

Meanwhile, the Pioneers head into the 2009 season fresh from their school record 43-16-1 campaign as the team finished ranked No. 13 in the final NAIA poll.

"They are a quality program," first-year skipper Brad Aughney said. "They are perennially at the top of the Sooner Conference. Coach (Brad) Bass does a great job. They don't do a lot of flashy things, but get the job done."

The scheduled starter for the first game is Scorpions ace Julian Moya, who finished last season with an 8-7 record, 4.17 ERA, eight complete games and two shutouts.

WBU will send its career leader in wins, innings pitched, starts and shutouts in senior Todd Jeffress.

The righty had an impressive 2008 season, going 11-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 98 1/3 innings of work.

During last year's meeting between the teams, the Scorpions were swept on their way to an 0-18 start. But UTB-TSC made a furious run during the second half of the season and finished third in the RRAC conference tournament.

"We have to keep working hard," Moya said. "They are a good team, and they went on to start 16-0. We have to go out there and have fun."

Junior outfielder Ryan McDonald, who led the Scorpions at the plate by batting .358, said the experience from last year's rocky start will help them get through another tough non-conference schedule.

"We had a lot of young guys last year, and we know how it felt to start off 0-18," he said. "Now we are all on the same page, and it should be fun to watch."

The Scorpions ended the 2008 season with a final record of 24-32.

"Ever since that day we finished playing, we've been looking forward to playing again," Aughney said "There are not a lot of places with 80-degree weather right now, and it'll be fun playing in front of a good home crowd."

Louie Vera covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via e-mail at lvera@brownsvilleherald.com.