Alumni Roundup: Week One

February 16, 2026

College baseball is officially back, and week one of the 2026 season is in the books. It was an exciting first few days of baseball that drew plenty of attention. From Friday night starts, freshman breakout performances and upsets, there was something for everyone on opening weekend.

Here’s the breakdown of what took place across country:

Liam Peterson once again got the ball on Friday night to open up the Gators series against UAB. It wasn’t the start Peterson was looking for, however, as he allowed five runs on three hits in 3.1 innings of work. He walked five and struck out just three. Florida would eventually drop the season opener to UAB, 9-7.


Associate head coach, Tom Slater, on Peterson’s outing: “Yeah, five walks obviously, in three and a third innings. That’s not the Liam we expect to see or the Liam we usually see. He’s been outstanding all preseason and wasn’t as crisp tonight, but we know that he’ll bounce back his next outing and we’ll see the Liam we’re used to seeing.

Hunter Dietz made a long-awaited return to the mound for Arkansas on Saturday night. He, too, didn’t have a great performance but was welcomed whole-heartedly after injuries have kept him sidelined for the majority of his career. Against TCU, Dietz allowed four runs in two frames. He walked three and allowed three hits. He struck out five Horned Frogs. The Hogs would go on to drop the contest, 5-4, against No. 10 TCU.


Tomas Valincius dazzled in his Mississippi State debut going 5.1 strong, K’ing six with just one walk. He earned his first win as a Bulldog against Hofstra in what was an opening weekend sweep for Brian O’Connor’s new group. Valincius will likely get a start next weekend against Delaware.

Freshman Jack Bauer and grad student, Vytas Valincius, did not see action against Hofstra.

Steven Milam (LSU) is picking up where he left off a season ago. The reigning national champ went 4-for-11 on the weekend against UW-Milwaukee. He had two XBH and drove in five. Very solid opening weekend for the Tigers’ middle-of-the-order hitter.


Business as usual for Wes Mendes on Friday against James Madison. Five innings of scoreless baseball while striking out seven Dukes. Mendes is an arm to look out for once again in the ACC. The Seminoles take on Michigan, Auburn and Nebraska next weekend at Globe Life Field in Texas.


Daniel Pacella (Ole Miss) made a statement in his first action with the Rebels. He had a hit and two RBI’s on Friday night against Nevada, then launched a two-run homer on Sunday. The home run was 109-mph off the bat with a distance of 447’.


Tommy Egan started on Friday night for Troy. Two runs, three hits and six strikeouts in five innings of work wasn’t enough for the Trojans. Mercer took the opener – and the series – in Macon.

Cal Schembra (Valparaiso) is a Top Tier Indiana alum and started off the season with a bang in Boiling Springs, N.C. against Gardner-Webb. Despite dropping the series, Schembra was a standout with seven hits across the four-game set. He had two XBH (homer and 2B) and a stolen base to his credit. Drove in five runs with two multi-RBI games. Schembra sprinkled in a dazzling double play making a sliding catch and throwing a runner out at home. Overall, stellar weekend for the freshman from Greenwood, Ind.


Mack Whitcomb (Vanderbilt) had a hit in his debut weekend with the Commodores in Arlington, Texas. Cade Kurland (Florida) had three hits against UAB – one being a homer on Saturday afternoon. Brendan Stressler tallied five hits in his debut with Michigan – one being a homer on Friday against Oregon State. Jameson Martin (Minnesota) had a pair of hits on Saturday and drove in a run.


Graham Mastros had a three-homer game in a season-opening win against SEMO. Mastros has already beat his 2025 home run total and is more than a third of his way to his RBI total from a season ago.  


Michael Addari (Illinois State) began his Redbirds career with two scoreless innings on Friday night. One hit, one walk and three strikeouts in eight batters faced for the Top Tier North alum.

Zach Kwasny (Ball State) saw action over the weekend. He had a clean inning against Minnesota on Sunday. An eight-pitch, one-strikeout frame for Kwas.

<< Back to news list

 

Expect Greatness. A Tradition of Baseball Excellence Since 2004