Bartlesville, OK —  

Game 1:  

Oklahoma Wesleyan baseball opened its 2026 campaign with authority on Thursday, rolling past Peru State 12-2 behind an explosive first inning and strong pitching from starter Austin Stephenson. 

The Eagles wasted no time setting the tone, putting up five runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by an RBI single from Jose Parreno and a two-run double by J.T. Maloney. OKWU capitalized on Peru State miscues as well, turning two defensive errors into additional unearned runs.  

Stephenson was sharp in his season debut, tossing 5.0 innings with six strikeouts, allowing just two hits and one run to earn the win. Relievers Jacob Morgan and Aiden Brothers closed out the final three innings, combining for two hits and one run allowed.  

Offensively, OKWU spread the production across the lineup. Dylan Krause delivered a standout performance, going 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and a late-game triple. Parreno added two hits of his own, including a triple in the sixth. Maloney reached base four times, scoring three runs. In total, the Eagles tallied eight hits and 11 RBI, steadily extending their lead with runs in five different innings.  

With the 12-2 win, Oklahoma Wesleyan starts the season at 1-0, showcasing both firepower and control on the mound as they begin their 2026 campaign. 

Game 2: 

The Eagles capped off its opening-day doubleheader with a dominant 8-0 shutout over Peru State, fueled by lights-out pitching and timely power hitting.  

Ashton Luera started on the bump for the Eagles in game 2 setting the tone early. He tossed 3.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, allowing just two hits to earn the win. Relievers Gavin Florio and Alan Covarrubias kept the shutout intact, combining four more scoreless frames and five additional strikeouts. In total, OKWU pitchers held Peru State to only three hits while striking out 10.  

The Eagles struck first in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on Peru State errors as Wally Diaz came around to score on a misplayed ball. OKWU added two more in the third behind an RBI walk from J.T. Maloney and a sacrifice fly from Braydon Caldwell, pushing the lead to 3-0. 

The turning point came in the bottom of the fifth, when pinch-hitter Gilbert Morales launched a towering grand slam homer to left, blowing the game open and extending the Eagles' lead to 7-0. 

In the sixth, David Escobar added an insurance run with a solo home run and that wuld be OKWU's second of the game to make it 8-0. Meanwhile, the Eagles' defense remained spotless, committing zero errors. 

Offensively, Oklahoma Wesleyan collected eight hits, highlighted by multi-hit games from Daurys Manzanillo, Luis Antigua, J.T. Maloney. Peru State, meanwhile, struggled to generate momentum, recording only three singles and striking out ten times.  

With the win, the Eagles improve to 2-0, completing a dominant season-opening sweep with a combined 20-2 scoring margin across both games.