Tarleton State Baseball looks to build off historic season with Fuller Smith at the helm

BY KELLAN BYARS

Digital Media Director

Tarleton State University baseball has set a new standard for the program after the 2026 spring season brought home a WAC championship and a berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament.

The Texans ended the season with a 38-21 record, their highest win total in a season since 1992. The team also became the first Division I team in nine years to win their tournament debut.

After finishing 12-6 in WAC play, Tarleton went 3-0 in the WAC Tournament to claim their second conference title. The Texans outscored their opponents 35-14 across the three games and earned the conference’s automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Tarleton then traveled to Austin for the NCAA Regional, where the Texans opened against UC Santa Barbara. They came away with an 11-5 win, giving Tarleton its first postseason victory since 2014. The win also marked the program’s first victory in an NCAA Regional opener, coming in their first appearance.

The Texans’ postseason run ended two games later in a rematch with UC Santa Barbara, where they lost 9-5 in an elimination game. But even though the season ended there, the team already made its mark with quite possibly the most successful season in program history.

A big part of that success came from Tarleton’s offense. Rayner Heinrich led the team with 63 RBIs, 22 doubles and 12 home runs, finishing with 149 total bases. Slade McCloud also had a strong season, recording 57 RBIs and leading the team with seven triples and 22 stolen bases. Sergio Guerra added nine home runs and 47 RBIs.

On the pitching side, Ethan Wendel led the Texans with six wins and 70.2 innings pitched. He made 14 starts and finished the season with 45 strikeouts.

With several seniors out the door, the Texans will have some spots to fill heading into the season. However, several younger players already showed promise during last season’s run.

Heinrich was a sophomore in 2026 and finished the year as one of Tarleton’s top offensive players. Cage McCloud also had a productive sophomore season, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 40 runs. Karsen Davis, another sophomore, also saw time on the mound during the postseason.

As the program prepares for another season, it will do so with the same coach who helped lead it to those accomplishments. The program announced July 28 that head coach Fuller Smith had signed a four-year contract extension that will keep him in Stephenville through the 2031 season.

The extension comes after Smith's first three seasons with Tarleton produced two conference tournament championships, a regular season conference title and an NCAA Regional appearance. His work during the 2026 campaign earned him WAC Coach of the Year honors.

“Texan Baseball has posted historic seasons now twice in his first three years at the helm, and more are on the way,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Steve Uryasz said in Tarleton's announcement of Smith's extension.

With Smith now under contract through 2031, Tarleton has committed to keeping the coach who has helped elevate the program during its recent rise.

In the announcement of the extension, Smith pointed to the program's larger goals beyond its record on the field.

“We are excited to call this place home for several more years to come as we continue to win championships on the field and build champions off of it,” Smith said.

For a program that just recorded its most wins in more than 30 years and made its mark in the NCAA Tournament, the upcoming season brings a different kind of challenge. Tarleton will have to replace pieces of its historic team while trying to maintain the level of success it established in 2026.

With Smith staying in Stephenville through 2031, the Texans will have an opportunity to make last season more than a high point. They can use it as the starting point for what comes next.