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Syracuse senior Calder Millard winds up during a non-region game at West Field on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Taylor.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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West Field senior Kanyon Pratt leads off during a non-region game vs. Syracuse on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Taylor.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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The Syracuse baseball team celebrates a 21-5 win over West Field on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Taylor.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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West Field senior Caymen Kap winds up during a non-region game vs. Syracuse on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Taylor.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

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TAYLOR — Few might’ve guessed Calder Millard would be so quick to pick up a bat, let alone a baseball, just a few months removed from offseason elbow surgery.

But Syracuse’s senior righty — who spent much of the fall in the cage — will be dealing and receiving pitches just the same as Millard (1-0) officially rejoined the rotation Tuesday at West Field and the Titans rode a fourth-inning stomp to a 21-5 decision for their first regular-season win.

Millard allowed just four hits, two runs and dealt six strikeouts across five innings of work. At the plate, Millard produced four of 21 total RBIs by Syracuse (1-4) following senior Ethan Turley’s fourth-inning spark, a two-run RBI double, prefacing a 19-run rally.

Frankie Harris (four RBIs), sophomore Burkon Beus (three RBIs), senior Bronx Manning (three RBIs), senior Caleb Wilson (two RBIs), senior Easton Hamblin (two RBIs), and sophomore Kysen Gallegos (one RBI) each piled on for a run-rule victory.

Turley and Millard agree: The Titans need hits. Syracuse allowed eight or more runs by the opposition in four consecutive games entering Tuesday.

“It was due,” Turley said. “We just never let our team die. Even down 2-0 coming into the fourth our team was never ‘down.’ We were loud, got some good pitches, (Millard) got a base hit, (Wilson) walked and we had the bases loaded. You just swing the bat. That’s all it is.”

Millard, already plenty busy taunting the Longhorns (1-1) with his curveball, said adding whatever he can at the plate, big or small, is helping make up for lost chances.

In a second season under coach Derrick Johnson, Millard said the opportunity to step into the box wasn’t going to pass him by this spring. Long hours spent hitting this fall strengthened the impression he made on his teammates and coaches alike as March rolled around.

“They saw my arm and wanted to keep me healthy on the mound,” Millard said. “They never really gave me my at-bats but I’m proving that I can hit.”

Senior Caymen Kap (0-1) allowed two hits, three earned runs, four walks, hit two batters and managed three strikeouts in the start for West Field. Six total hits, including an RBI double by junior Brady Penland in the bottom of the fourth, filled out West Field’s day at the plate.

First-year West Field coach Clayne Garrett expects the coming season to be a learning curve.

“We’ve got a lot of guys where this is their second time suiting up for a varsity game,” Garrett said. “They need to get up to speed real quick when the bright lights turn on or it’s going to be a long year.

“From a pitching perspective, if you walk guys and hit guys when you’ve got two strikes, good teams take free passes and there were too many of those today.”

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.