OMAHA — McAllen high school baseball will step into the spotlight at 6 p.m. Sunday, as Mississippi State and Texas are set to collide in the opening round of the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.

McAllen High alum Aaron Nixon is a freshman right-handed pitcher who has carved himself a role as a closer with the Longhorns, leading the team with eight saves this season.

In the opposite dugout will be McAllen Memorial alum Jake Gautreau, a former first round MLB draft pick who is in his fourth year as a hitting coach and recruiting coordinator with Mississippi State.

After leading the purple and gold of McHi and blue and gold of Memorial during their high school days, the crosstown rivalry between the Bulldogs and Mustangs will reignite in Omaha at the College World Series.

It’s all love and respect between Gautreau and Nixon, however, as their connection dates back to the former’s little league days growing up in McAllen.

McAllen High’s Aaron Nixon and McAllen Memorial’s Jake Gautreau take a photo together while at the 2021 College World Series in Omaha.

“I follow Aaron very closely,” Gautreau said. “They’re a wonderful family and Aaron is extremely talented. I’m super proud for him, his family and for the city of McAllen that he’s doing what he’s doing for the Longhorns on a national stage. We’re looking forward to seeing those guys Sunday night.”

Beau Nixon, Aaron’s father, has witnessed the success of both Gautreau and his son.

Around 11 and 12 years old, Beau Nixon and Gautreau became teammates on a little league city all-star team.

In high school, Beau and Gautreau played against each other at McHi and Memorial. Gautreau was so good at the plate, the Bulldogs tried to intentionally walk him during one of their rivalry games in the 1990s. One pitch hung a little too close, so the left-handed hitting Gautreau sent it out of the park.

During Aaron Nixon’s high school days, things were a bit different. The Bulldogs never lost to the crosstown rival Mustangs.

While Texas punched its ticket to the CWS with a 12-4 win over South Florida in the NCAA Super Regional last Sunday, Mississippi State had to wait until Monday for its opportunity against Notre Dame. The younger Nixon was rooting for Gautreau and Mississippi State, who eventually defeated Notre Dame 11-7, sending two McAllen baseball products to the College World Series for a matchup against each other.

“For my son to go against them in the first round, both of them being from McAllen, I just feel a big sense of pride because it’s great for McAllen baseball and the area to have two of its own on that stage,” Beau Nixon said.

The winner between Texas and Mississippi State advances to face the winner of Tennessee and Virginia at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Texas-Mississippi State loser falls into an elimination game against the Tennessee-Virginia loser 1 p.m. Tuesday.

“It’s definitely a dream come true because I’ve worked my whole life to be in this moment,” the younger Nixon said.

With two of the RGV’s best set to take the field on college baseball’s biggest stage in Omaha, Gautreau offered advice to young players chasing college and professional baseball dreams.

“It doesn’t matter where you are, if you’re working hard, you’re playing hard, doing things the right way, people are going to find you. For all the young kids in the Valley that are going about it and have dreams of playing at big time college programs and playing professional baseball, if you play hard and do it the right way, people are going to find you,” Gautreau said.

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