SAN MARCOS, Texas — Texas State secured a 3-1 series win against Stony Brook to kick off the 2020 season.
It wasn't just any series though. It was the program's first series win under new Bobcats head coach Steven Trout.
The positive start to the 2020 season continues a winning tradition that was started by a special someone, who was in attendance for all four of the weekend's games.
It's never easy to follow in the footsteps of a legend. But the Trout era at Texas State is off to a pretty good start.
The Bobcats' new head coach got his first win on Friday, and Sunday capped off his first series win. It was a weight lifted off his shoulders and a sign that Bobcat baseball is in capable hands.
"Of course it was a little more special, a little more jitters just because all of a sudden you've got to get the bullpen up, and besides just coaching the offense you're coaching everyone," Trout said.
Trout went from assistant coach to head coach – a different position – but the same personality.
"We know he's an energetic guy, and we just have to bring as much energy as he does," senior infielder Jaxon Williams said.
"So, I tell the guys all the time, my job is to make sure you're ready to play every day and when you get down, when you need some energy, look at me because I'm going to bring it every single day," Trout said. "That's the fun part of the job and hopefully our team feeds off of it."
Just be yourself.
It's a coaching style that Trout hopes to live by and was the in-person message from his predecessor: former Texas State head coach Ty Harrington.
Harrington was that special someone in attendance for all four of the Bobcats' first games of 2020.
"That's the first time for me in 47 years that on opening day, I didn't have a uniform on, from Little League all the way to this year," Harrington told KVUE.
Harrington said it's been hard to not be in the game anymore.
"I was a little bit nervous and anxious for him and the whole staff," Harrington said.
Still, Harrington remained happy with his decision to spend more time with his family but wanted Trout and the team to know they had his full support.
"Today was really fun to get the series win and to watch them," Harrington said. "The weather was beautiful. Bobcat Ballpark was fantastic today too. The kids played hard. They knew they wanted to win and I'm proud of Steven. He's done an unbelievable job."
"He's kind of stepped away and probably too much," Trout said. "I keep telling him, 'Coach, come around,' and part of that is for himself to kind of move it away a little bit and also he didn't want to step on my toes, but he's been as good as I could have got in this transition and so I'll forever be thankful for that."
So, a year after Harrington helped the Bobcats win their first-ever Sun Belt Conference title, the winning continues. Texas State won three games from the four-game series against a Stony Brook team that made the NCAA tournament in 2019.
Up next for Texas State is a mid-week matchup against Houston Baptist.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: