The 2020 Jesuit Dallas baseball season is set to start on Thursday as the Blue and Gold will participate in the College Station Tournament on Feb. 27-29. A team stacked with returning talent and promising newcomers are set to take the field as Jesuit begins its quest for an eighth district championship on Thursday morning against Magnolia West.
 
Senior Jalon Mack returns after earning all-district first team honors last season, racking up a .333 batting average in 2019 with 33 runs scored. The Wichita State commit closed the season with 12 doubles, three triples and 29 RBI, piecing together a .362 batting average in district play. Fellow senior Braxton Boyle, who committed to Regis University (Colo.) in the fall, is another returning all-district designee who earned second team honors following a season which included a .322 batting average and .748 OPS. Senior Tyson Pointer is Jesuit's last returning all-district position player, earning second-team plaudits at catcher after hitting .310 during his junior season. Pointer, who committed to play at Odessa College, caught nine eight attempting to steal bases last season and started 25 games behind the plate.
 
Junior Jordan Lawlar, who was named to the Dallas Morning News Preseason All-Area team, returns after a truncated season shortened by 2019 in 2018. During the 24 games in which he was on the field, Lawlar made an immediate impact, racking up 27 hits and 27 RBI with a team-leading five home runs. Lawlar posted a .409 batting average during his debut season with a 1.398 OPS. Senior Tanner Jones, who started 28 games last year will join junior Connor Chavez, who appeared in 36 games with a .245 batting average as the team's remaining returning field players. Newcomers include seniors JT Ennen, Jake Koger and Tino Ramirez, alongside juniors Drew Messick and sophomore Cash Riley.
 
On the mound, senior Ryan Messick returns after forging a 7-2 record and 1.56 ERA last year. A 10-game starter who moved into Jesuit's Tuesday night starter in district play, Messick struck out 63 batters during the year and held opposing hitters to a .205 batting average. Junior Gavin Perryman also returns after securing a 2-3 record in 2018 with 22 strikeouts over 30 innings pitched, while senior Alek Houillion, who splits time between the mound and the outfield, earned a 3-2 record and struck out 23 batters in 2019.
 
Senior Matthew Cox, who signed with the California Institute of Technology this winter, completes the returning contingent after striking out 13 hitters last year en route to a 2-2 record. Jesuit will also see juniors George Austin and David Day make their full varsity debuts after call-up appearances last season while juniors Tucker Huhn, Clayton Jackson and JJ Luna will make their Jesuit varsity debuts this year.
 
Jesuit's season will start on Feb. 27 as the Rangers will battle Magnolia West at 11 a.m. on Feb. 27 before facing Strake Jesuit at 1:30 p.m. the same day. The College Station Tournament will conclude with a double header against Temple and Lake Creek on Feb. 28 before matchups against Lufkin and College Station on Feb. 29. The Rangers will host the first game of the season at Wright Field on Thursday, Mar. 5 as Jesuit will open the annual Jesuit Dallas Baseball Classic against Plano East. District play will begin on Tuesday, Mar. 17 as Jesuit battles Plano West.