Jesuit Dallas opened the 2019 season with a Thursday afternoon split, upending Keller Timber Creek, 12-2 before dropping a 5-1, extra-inning affair to Little Elm on Feb. 21 at Wright Field. The Rangers will continue a four-game weekend on Friday and Saturday in a slate of games rescheduled after the cancellation of this weekend's tournament in College Station.
 
Seniors Jalon Mack and Cooper Shawl ripped doubles for Jesuit against Timber Creek as senior Garrett Reuben, junior Tanner Jones and sophomore Jordan Lawlar drove in two runs apiece. Lawlar would strike again in the nightcap against Little Elm, tying the game with a seventh-inning home run which forced extra innings. Junior Braxton Boyle went 3-for-4 against Timber Creek, scoring two runs to tie Mack, Lawlar and senior Jaden Woodson for the team lead.
 
Junior Alek Houillion enjoyed a stellar debut to the 2019 season, throwing a complete game and allowing no earned runs on three hits and striking out eight batters. Senior Jack Lynch struck out seven over eight innings of work but suffered the hard-luck loss in extra innings.
 
Jesuit (1-1) jumped on Timber Creek for four runs in the first inning after a leadoff walk to Mack. A single by Boyle and Falcon error plated the Rangers' first run of the game before junior Tyson Pointer launched a single through the right side which scored Boyle. Senior pinch runner Marco Marrero stole second and opened the window for Jones to cross the plate for a 3-0 lead before scoring on another Timber Creek error, one of three in the bottom of the second by the Falcons.
 
A double by Mack and single by Boyle set the stage for the Rangers once again in the third as Jones responded with a line drive up the middle on a full count to increase the lead to six runs. A two-out single to left center by Reuben scored Lawlar and Woodson to increase the lead to eight in the bottom of the fourth before the Rangers capped the win with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Lawlar ripped a two-run single to left, scoring Woodson and senior Witt Chambers before senior Miles Page joined the fray with an RBI-single to right field. Shawl ended the game with a double down the left field line, scoring Page to clinch the sixth-inning run-rule victory.
 
Lynch and Little Elm starting pitcher Logan Kohler dominated the field in the opening stages of the nightcap as neither pitcher allowed a hit during the first four innings. The Rangers logged the first hit of the game on a single to center by Reuben, but the senior was thrown out advancing to second to eliminate the threat. Little Elm led off the top of the seventh with a hit and manufactured a run after a sacrifice bunt, stolen base and wild pitch.
 
With one out in the bottom of the seventh and the game on the line, Lawlar stepped up to the plate and faced a 2-1 pitch. The sophomore launched the ensuing pitch deep to left center field, parking the ball midway up the mesh screen to tie the game at 1-1. Lawlar faced the opportunity to end the game with bases loaded after walks to Jones, Woodson and sophomore Connor Chavez, but Lawlar lined out to left field to send the game into the ninth.
 
Little Elm scored four runs on three hits and two Jesuit Dallas errors in the top of the ninth, and the Rangers were unable to respond with a runner at second and two outs, dropping their first game of the season.
 
Jesuit Dallas will host Keller Timber Creek on Friday at 12 p.m. before concluding the week against Little Elm at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. The Rangers will continue their home stand the following Thursday, when Jesuit hosts its annual Baseball Classic from Feb. 28 – Mar. 2. Jesuit will face Princeton, Red Oak, Lovejoy, Forney, Prestonwood and Richardson during the tournament which will be hosted at Wright Field.