Posted: Feb 06, 2026
Baseball takes opener for first win in 2026
Playing in front of the home crowd for the first time this season, Wiley University center fielder Kaleb Gilner drove in three runs with three hits. Nick Rodriguez struck out eight batters to lift the Wildcats to a 13-5 victory in the series opener against Ecclesia College Friday at Coker Field.
The Wildcats (1-6) win their home opener for the third straight season. They snapped their season-opening losing streak at five games. Wiley scores double-digit runs for the first time since May 2.
Gilner had his most productive game. He hit a two-RBI double with two outs in the second, which extended the Wildcats' lead to 3-0. In the fourth, he hit an RBI single to spark a six-run rally. Gilner hit an infield single with two outs in the fifth. He scored two runs.
Garza hit the first home run of the season over the right field wall, which scored Gilner in the fifth. Ivan Del Villar hit two doubles, drove in two runs and scored twice. Marshel Herman got a hit, a run and an RBI.
Wiley broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the fourth. It took advantage of Ecclesia's struggles to locate the strike zone, scoring on three bases-loaded walks and two hit batters. Wiley sent 11 batters to the plate and Ecclesia used four pitchers to get three outs.
Nick Rodriguez picked up his first win. He held the Royals to three earned runs on four hits and struck out eight batters in six innings. He held them scoreless in the first, second and fourth innings. Juan Pena pitched a perfect seventh inning with one strikeout.
The Wildcats struck first in the second game but could not build on their momentum, falling 16-4.
John Barajas hit his first career home run in the second inning, driving in Orenthal Lewis, who was hit by a pitch. Daniel de los Rios followed with his first blast, landing almost exactly in the same spot to give the Wildcats a 3-0 advantage.
The Royals (3-1) quickly erased the advantage with two home runs in the third. Wiley reclaimed the lead in the fourth. Jose Villalobos led off by being hit by a pitch. Gilner advanced him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Garza brought him home with a single to right-center and took second on the throw. A strikeout and groundout ended the inning.
Ecclesia tied the game with its third home run hit by Gustavo Soto. The Wildcats were unable to contain the Royals in the sixth inning. They walked four batters and hit two while allowing eight runs on four hits. It took four pitchers to get three outs. All nine Ecclesia hitters came to the plate before Wiley recorded the first out.
Estevan Baca made his second start and went 4 1/3 innings. He gave up four runs on six hits and struck out three. Manuel Contreras made his third appearance, he finished the fifth inning and faced the first two batters of the sixth. Audreyous Bingham, Coren Lewis and Case Butterfield finished the sixth inning. Corey Grant relieved Butterfield after two batters in the seventh and got the last two outs.
The series concludes with a doubleheader at noon on Saturday.
For more coverage on the Wildcats, visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/bsb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
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