After sweep by Dallas, Schreiner baseball features critical stretch with season on the line

The Schreiner University baseball team returned from Irving having dropped all three games at the University of Dallas last weekend, capping a four-game losing streak that has complicated what was once a promising start to conference play. The Mountaineers sit at 4-9 overall and 4-5 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, one game below the .500 mark in league play with a postseason path that remains open — but requires immediate attention.

THE DALLAS WAKE-UP CALL

The numbers from the Dallas series are stark. Schreiner was outscored 30-15 across three games and committed 13 errors — including six in the series finale — converting what should have been competitive ballgames into lopsided results. Pitching struggled at every turn: starters were touched for 19 earned runs in just 10 innings across the three games, and a rotation built around sophomore Tanner Beck and multiple freshmen arms has been inconsistent when games go beyond the fourth inning.

The defense and pitching combination is a recurring problem. Through 13 games, Schreiner has been outscored 96-71, a run differential of minus-25 that reflects the difficulty the staff has had keeping opposing offenses in check. The team’s ERA through the early portions of the season hovered above 7.00 — manageable when the offense erupted, as it did against Centenary, but fatal when the Mountaineers needed a quality start on the road.

OFFENSIVE BRIGHT SPOTS

The offense has largely held up its end of the bargain. Senior catcher JD Blair has been the team’s most consistent bat, posting a mark well above .400 on the season and delivering multi-hit efforts in seven of his starts. His ability to make contact to all fields has given Schreiner a dependable presence in the middle of the order.

Senior infielder Daniel Rodriguez leads the team in RBIs and has provided much of the offense’s pop, including a two-home-run performance in the Centenary finale on Feb. 15 in which he drove in six. Senior first baseman Blake Juarez has been equally reliable, posting multiple hits in nearly every conference series and ranking among the team leaders in doubles.

Sophomore outfielder Shawn Rivera provides a different dimension at the top of the lineup, with seven stolen bases on the year. He has been a consistent on-base threat who forces opposing pitchers to work from the stretch. Sophomore Kale Lackey chipped in with a home run and a big series against Centenary as well.

Perhaps the most intriguing development came Sunday at Dallas, when freshman left fielder Austin Mueller went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in his most complete game of the season. Mueller’s emergence gives the Mountaineers another power option as the schedule toughens.

THE CONFERENCE PICTURE

Despite the losing streak, Schreiner’s postseason situation is not dire. Texas Lutheran (7-2) and Concordia (6-3) have separated themselves at the top of the SCAC standings, but below them the conference is congested. Hendrix (4-2), LeTourneau (5-4), Austin College (5-4), and Dallas (5-4) all sit within range, and Schreiner (4-5) is only a game out of a tie for fourth. With 12 conference games remaining, the Mountaineers control their own fate.

The path is straightforward if uncomfortable: Schreiner needs to win series. Not necessarily sweep series — just take two of three consistently. A 6-6 finish in remaining conference play would likely put them at 10-11 in the SCAC, which would require some help, but an 8-4 or better clip would make them competitive for a top-four finish.

WHAT’S AHEAD

The schedule offers some breathing room before the next conference gauntlet. Schreiner heads to Howard Payne for a non-conference three-game series Friday and Saturday, followed by a home midweek game against Mary Hardin-Baylor on March 10. Both series present opportunities to work on the rotation, shore up the bullpen, and rebuild momentum after the Dallas slide.

The next critical stretch begins March 13-14 when Hendrix comes to Kerrville for a home SCAC series. Hendrix (4-2 in conference, 9-4 overall) is one of the better teams in the league and represents the kind of test Schreiner will need to pass to make a postseason push. A home series win would not only provide a much-needed confidence boost but also tighten the conference race significantly.

Looking further out, St. Thomas (3-6 in SCAC) visits in a road series March 20-21 — a potential confidence-restoring opportunity against one of the conference’s weaker teams. Then comes the season’s biggest challenge: Texas Lutheran arrives in Kerrville on March 27-28 for a three-game set. The Bulldogs are the class of the SCAC at 7-2 in conference play and will serve as the true measuring stick for where this program stands.

For now, the Mountaineers need what every team mired in a four-game slide needs most: a short memory and a reset. The Howard Payne trip is the right time to start.

TEAM LEADERS — BATTING

2026 BATTING LEADERS — Through 13 Games
Player	AB	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SB	AVG
JD Blair, c, So.	37	17	4	0	8	4	1	.459
Blake Juarez, 1b, Sr.	38	14	6	0	12	3	0	.368
Daniel Rodriguez, 3b, Sr.	38	14	4	2	16	3	4	.368
Shawn Rivera, rf, So.	43	14	3	0	7	4	7	.326
Kale Lackey, cf, So.	42	11	4	1	8	1	3	.262
Ethan Costello, ss, So.	38	9	1	0	5	5	0	.237
Obie Martinez, 2b, Fr.	22	5	2	0	3	4	1	.227
Austin Mueller, lf, Fr.	6	3	0	1	3	0	1	.500
Note: Stats compiled from available box scores. Mueller qualifies in limited appearances.

PITCHING SUMMARY

2026 PITCHING SUMMARY — Through 13 Games
Pitcher	W-L	ERA	IP	H	BB	SO	HR
Tanner Beck, RHP, So.	1-2	6.23	17.1	18	9	9	1
Nolan Sauceda, RHP, Jr.	0-0	4.15	13.0	10	8	9	0
Trey Bennett, RHP, Jr.	0-0	0.00	6.0	3	2	1	0
Henry Sepulveda, RHP, Fr.	0-0	7.45	13.1	14	7	8	0
Ethan Sullivan, LHP, Fr.	0-0	10.13	8.0	14	5	4	0
Wyatt Henry, RHP/INF, So.	1-0	6.75	5.2	8	0	3	2
Hayden Oakes, RHP, So.	0-1	20.25	2.2	5	0	2	0

SCAC STANDINGS

SCAC BASEBALL STANDINGS — As of March 1, 2026
Team	Conf	Conf W%	Overall	Ovr W%	Streak	Conf PF	Conf PA
Texas Lutheran	7-2	.778	10-2	.833	Won 2	76	48
Concordia (Texas)	6-3	.667	7-3	.700	Won 1	64	39
Hendrix	4-2	.667	9-4	.692	Won 3	37	23
LeTourneau	5-4	.556	7-6	.538	Lost 2	58	49
Austin College	5-4	.556	5-5	.500	Lost 1	84	73
Dallas	5-4	.556	5-8	.385	Won 3	67	89
★ SCHREINER	4-5	.444	4-9	.308	Lost 4	57	53
Centenary (La.)	2-4	.333	7-8	.467	Lost 1	28	40
McMurry	3-6	.333	5-10	.333	Won 1	38	47
St. Thomas (Tex.)	3-6	.333	4-9	.308	Lost 1	34	48
Ozarks (Ark.)	1-5	.167	7-7	.500	Won 1	26	60

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

UPCOMING SCHEDULE — Remainder of February/March 2026
Date	Opponent	Type	Notes
Fri. Mar. 6	at Howard Payne	Non-conf.	3-game series begins
Sat. Mar. 7	at Howard Payne (DH)	Non-conf.
Tue. Mar. 10	Mary Hardin-Baylor (H)	Non-conf.	Home
Fri. Mar. 13	Hendrix (H)	SCAC	Hendrix 4-2 conf.
Sat. Mar. 14	Hendrix (H) — DH	SCAC	Critical home stand
Fri. Mar. 20	at St. Thomas (Tex.)	SCAC	St. Thomas 3-6 conf.
Sat. Mar. 21	at St. Thomas (Tex.) — DH	SCAC
Tue. Mar. 24	at Hardin-Simmons	Non-conf.
Fri. Mar. 27	Texas Lutheran (H)	SCAC	TLU leads conf. 7-2
Sat. Mar. 28	Texas Lutheran (H) — DH	SCAC	Biggest test of year
Blue shading = SCAC conference games. H = Home.