The Temple College baseball team had a rough season in 2025.
The Leopards went 22-30 in 52 games, and 12-20 in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference.
The Leopards hit .277 with a .395 on-base percentage. TC scored 297 runs on 406 hits, doubled 79 times, tripled nine time, hit 35 home runs, drove in 264 runs, clubbed 119 extra bases, walked 243 times., were hit by 64 pitches, struck 313 times, hit 20 sacrifice flies, had 15 sacrifice hits, and stolen 65 bases while being caught 13 times.
Temple will reload after a bevy of players graduated or move on to other schools.
One of the big returning players from the 2025 team is Kade Davis. The Cedar Park native hit .361 with an on-base percentage of .479, a team-high 57 hits and 14 doubles, clubbed five home runs, 37 runs batted in and drew 19 walks.
Davis also pitched 13 games for Temple, with ten starts. He went 4-5 with an earned run average of 5.83, struck out 49 batters and walked 24.
Also returning for the Temple offense is utility infielder Hunter Baros (.262 BA, .336 OBP, 28-of-107, two homers, 18 RBI), left side infielder Sage Sanders (.261 BA, .478 OBP, 24-of-92, 13 RBI, team-high 39 walks), outfielder Peanut Brazzle (.217 BA, .359 OBP, two HR, 23 RBI, 27 walks), and infielder Kash Millar (.182 BA, .287 OBP, HR, 12 RBI, 17 walks).
As always, Temple had a bevy of solid fielders to support their pitching staff. Elias Leon-Padilla, Enrique Perozo, Ricky Montijo, and Ryan Hunter should see more time behind the dish with the departures of strong-hitting Andrew Ermis and Kadyn Martinez.
Sanders, Baros, and Kash Millar will be joined by Kanyon Millar, Brody Cole, Trajan Godbee, Chase Fricke, and Zabien Urteaga to supply infield depth.
"Our fall was a good one," Sanders said. "We have been swinging it well in intra-squads. We have solid pitching as well. I think we will great, as we have started off hot."
With the departure of Kolvin Davis, Brayden Simmons, and Ryder Rutledge, the Leopards will rely on Brazzle and Davis for leadership. The duo will be joined by Yarel Delgado, Wade Stallones, and Bryton Betrand for depth.
"We have a great team and jelled together through the fall season and here into the spring," Brazzle said. We had a good fall."
Temple's pitching staff had an earned run average of 6.39 a year ago, with 263 earned runs allowed, 360 strikeouts, 225 walks, and 54 hit batsmen.
The pitching staff will be a strength of the Leopards, with the return of Davis, Tobin Eschief (3-6, 5.29 ERA, 51 strikeouts. 24 walks), Bralen Veazey (1-1, 7.13 ERA, 18 strikeouts, 14 walks), Thomas Perez, Kade Shaw, Tanner Jackson, and Carson Henderson as they look to improve upon a 6.39 ERA and 360 strikeouts from 2025. Plenty of strong arms join the Temple staff, to include Fricke, Urteaga, Bertrand, Quentin Medrano, Joseph McMurtry, Aden Redlich, Zion Chen, Grady Williams, Jack Perotti, Peyton Reynolds, Landon Miller, and Devin Cummings.
"Our staff worked hard during the summer and fall season," Eschief said. "I believe have a really good staff, and we worked on some things that we built through the summer. Collectively, as a staff, we worked hard and have a good thing going."
Another new addition to the Temple College baseball program is the new synthetic field turf, installed this past fall by Symmetry Sports Construction out of Mt. Pleasant.
Temple will take on Angelina College to start their season on Jan. 31 in Lufkin before beginning their home campaign against the Roadrunners on Feb. 1.
A year ago, Angelina (21-30) averaged 6.5 runs per game and allowed 7.2 on average. AC hit .297 and had an on-base percentage of .402. The Roadrunners' staff ERA was 7.60 with 307 earned runs allowed, having struck out 278 batters, walked 208 hitters, and hit 56 batters.
The Leopards will play a challenging February schedule which features Galveston College twice (Feb. 3 in Galveston, Feb. 17 in Temple), Blinn College twice (Feb. 11 in Brenham, Feb. 21 in Temple), Alvin (home on Feb. 24), at Midland College on Feb. 27 and doubleheader at Odessa College on Feb. 28 before beginning their North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference schedule on March 4th at Vernon College.
"February will be exciting," Brazzle said. "There are quite a few great teams on the schedule. It will be a great challenge."
"February should be great," Eschief said. "We didn't have a crazy, cold December. It may be a little brutal, as far as the weather is concern. But we will work through it."
Temple also has a pair of non-conference doubleheaders on their NTJCAC bye week. On March 18, the Leopards host Dallas College – North Lake. On March 20, Temple hosts DFW Post Grad.
"Friday is the start of the season," Temple College head coach Craig McMurtry said. "We will take it a game at a time. We are building for the season."
