The University of the Southwest Baseball Team took on Texas A&M University-Texarkana at home in their final regular-season games of the year. This was senior weekend with the seniors and families being honored before the contest on Saturday afternoon. The two teams matched up a year ago with USW winning the series three games to one with two walk-offs. The match-up also had importance in seeding in the RRAC Tournament for the two clubs. The two teams came in tied for fourth in the conference standings. The Mustangs were able to win the tightly contested series two games to one this time around to secure the fifth seed in the tournament. 
 
A big part of the weekend was honoring the seniors who have made such a tremendous impact on the program on and off the field. The Mustangs had ten seniors who they honored including Michael Davis III, Hunter McLarry, Michael Downs, Braxton Ashford, Jacob Chavarria, Caden Ledbetter, Nicholas Palomino, Gabriel Perez-Torres, Brian Rodriguez, and Tariq Levesque. Head Coach Steve Appel explained what the weekend was like saying "I'm extremely happy that the seniors were able to finish on a positive note leading into the conference tournament. Collectively, the seniors had good moments on the weekend and I couldn't be happier. We have always been a team that loves to play at home, and it was a great way to finish off the regular season. We knew it wouldn't be easy, but we found ways to come out on top. It was also great to see a senior step up and deliver the game-winning hit!"
 
Game 1: The seven-inning contest saw a few lead changes as the teams exchanged a few big offensive innings. In the end, TAMUT would score four runs in the seventh to take the lead eight to six and hold on to that lead in the bottom of the seventh to win by that score. The offense found ways to get on base in the contest, collecting eight hits and seven walks to score their 6 runs. Hayden woods and Gabriel Perez-Torres each collected two hits and an RBI in the contest. Tariq Levesque was one for one with a three-run home run and three walks in the contest. Starter AJ Cordova was solid on the mound going five and a third, allowing five hits and two earned runs in the no-decision. 
 
Game 2: The second game of the doubleheader was an offensive battle between the two teams. The Mustangs would put up six runs in the first inning but Texarkana would battle back in the middle innings to take a 10-7 lead to the bottom of the eighth inning. The Mustangs would answer with a five-run eighth to reclaim the lead by way of a solo home run from Gabriel Perez-Torres, a two-RBI single from Nicholas Palomino to tie the game, and a pinch-hit two-RBI single from freshman Carlos Jaquez to break up the tie. Caden Davis would come on and go three up three down in the ninth to earn his second save of the year and give the Mustangs the 12-10 victory. The Mustang offense was on base all game collecting twelve hits and nine walks in the contest. Omar Baldenegro collected three hits and two RBI's and Nicholas Palomino collected three hits and four RBIs in the contest. Brian Rodriguez and Gabriel Perez-Torres each collected two hits and an RBI for the Mustangs. Senior Michael Downs earned his first victory of the year after throwing the eighth inning. 
 
Game 3:  Senior day festivities preceded the single game on Saturday and nine innings would not be enough to decide the game between the two teams in another offensive showdown. The two teams would trade runs throughout the game with the Eagles of Texarkana tying the game up with two runs in the ninth. The two teams would then go scoreless in the tenth and eleventh innings. In the 12^th the Eagles would score on a two-out single to give them a 12-11 lead heading to the bottom half. Omar Baldenegro would spark the Mustang offense with a one-out triple and was driven home on a triple by the next hitter, Hayden Woods, to tie the game at 12. TAMUT would proceed to intentionally walk the next two hitters, Gabriel Perez-Torres and Tariq Levesque, to load up the bases with one out. That brought Senior Brian Rodriguez to the plate on his senior day after 152 career games with the Mustangs. He would foul off the first pitch and then laced the next pitch down the third base line for the walk-off RBI single and the 13-12 Mustang Victory. Senior Jacob Chavarria was excellent in his first start of the year going six and a third innings, allowing five hits, three earned run, and striking out six in the no decision. Rocky sanchez got the win out of the bullpen going five innings and allowing three runs. Omar Baldenegro was two for three with two walks and Hayden Woods was three for six with two RBIs. Senior Gabriel Perez-Torres was four for four with three RBIs and fellow senior Tariq Levesque was two for three with two RBIs and three walks. Fellow seniors Nicholas Palomino was two for six, Caden Ledbetter had two RBI's, and Michael Davis III had a pinch hit single in the eight that ended up scoring. 
 
After the contest Coach Appel spoke about his group and what makes them tough to beat saying "We know we can be tough to beat if we can throw strikes, play our brand of defense, and have timely hitting. This group is resilient and up to the task. We know we aren't the biggest, the quickest, and the strongest, but we will play a good and hard brand of baseball. I'm looking forward to watching these kids compete for a tournament championship. Anything can happen in a tournament and we have some good momentum leading us into it." 
 
The series win puts the Mustang's record at (31-18) and (21-12) in conference play. The 31 wins are the most for the Mustang program since 2004 and the most wins in RRAC play since they had 22 in 2003. They will now focus their attention on the RRAC tournament that will take place next weekend at the Sterlington Sports Complex in Sterlington, Louisiana. The Mustangs are the fifth seed in the tournament and will match up with the four seed Louisiana Christian on Friday, May 6^th at 2:00 PM CST. The Mustangs lost two of three when the two teams matched up in the regular season but will look to even up the season series.