HOUSTON – A new era of baseball began Saturday for the University of St. Thomas Celts, who opened the season with a doubleheader against NAIA opponent Loyola (La.).

UST last fielded a varsity baseball team in 1969, and Saturday's games were the first Celt baseball games in 51 years. The first wins in the new era will come another day, as Loyola swept the doubleheader by scores of 23-1 and 7-0.

Nick Asaro (JR/Houston, Texas) got the first hit in the program's new era when he doubled to left-center field to lead off the second inning. Later, Noah Martinez (JR/New Braunfels, Texas) claimed the first run and home run in the new era in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Martinez had two hits in each game. Asaro and Jason Brown (FR/Sugar Land, Texas) each collected one hit apiece in both games.

Eric Rodriguez (SO/Corpus Christi, Texas) gave up one run in two innings of relief in the opener. In game two, Alex Schlosser (SO/Houston, Texas) and Pierce Taylor (FR/Pearland, Texas) each pitched three innings of relief and gave up only one earned run apiece.

A packed house filled the baseball stadium at St. Thomas High School, which, like UST, was founded by Basilian Fathers. The series concludes Sunday at STHS with a single, nine-inning game scheduled to begin at noon.