HOUSTON – Excitement and anticipation awaited the first University of St. Thomas baseball season since 1969 when the 2020 campaign opened.

After a rocky opening weekend, the Celts began to establish themselves as a competitive team ready to meet any challenge. And though the COVID-19 virus response suspended season before Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play began, the Celts showed signs of promise and a bright future.

"I can't say enough about the extreme jumps our guys made this season, especially for a first-year program," head coach Clay VanderLaan said. "When the unfortunate and abrupt end to our season happened, we were starting to play our best baseball."

UST's 2020 season was suspended after only games, with Celts compiling a 7-11 record in those games. The Celts won seven of their last 15 games, and six of their final 11.

The Celts won their first game in more than a half-century Feb. 8, when they defeated Howard Payne 11-7 in the first game of a doubleheader. UST jumped out to an 8-1 lead after four innings, giving Kalob Bacak (SO/Spring, Texas) more than enough of a lead to work with as he claimed his first win of 2020.

With that first win in hand, the Celts claimed at least two wins in each of their next three series and were on the verge of sweeping their only road series of the season after taking two wins at McMurry. The Celts also claimed two wins apiece against Minnesota–Morris and NAIA opponent Doane (Neb.). "Our guys' confidence was through the roof," VanderLaan said about UST's success in their final few series.

When the season was interrupted, the Celts had six hitters hitting .283 or better. Jason Brown (FR/Sugar Land, Texas) was a star at the plate and in the field, juggling dual roles as a shortstop and a pitcher. At the plate, Brown led the Celts with a .387 batting average, while his 1.84 ERA on the mound also led the team.

Hunter Pachal (FR/Conroe, Texas) led the Celts with 12 RBIs, and tied for the team-lead in home runs with Leo Galvan (SO/Baytown, Texas), who each had two blasts. Galvan and Noah Martinez (JR/New Braunfels, Texas) each knocked 11 RBIs.

On the mound, Bacak and Caleb Desilets (SO/Conroe, Texas) each won two games.

"As tough as all of this has been, I'm proud of how our players, coaching staff, and university as a whole have handled it," VanderLaan said about the season and interruption to it. "We have show maturity and resiliency."