In the spring of 2016, Grant Anderson was as a freshman pitcher on the McNeese State baseball team.

It was a long way and a lot of work from last Tuesday when Anderson made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers in Detroit.

“He was getting hit all over the place,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill, who was was in his fifth season at the time. “He was throwing over the top and we changed his arm angle and that started what we see now.”

What the world saw Tuesday even was electric.

Anderson came out of the Texas bullpen firing strikes from that odd angle he started in Lake Charles.

Entering the game with the Rangers up 7-6, and with the tying run on second and one out in the fifth, Anderson stepped to the big league mound for the first time.

He proceeded to strike out the first four hitters he faced and didn’t stop there. Anderson became the first pitcher in Ranger history to strike out seven out of the bullpen in his debut. He retired eight of the nine batters he faced.

The 25-year-old former Cowboys earned the victory and gave Texas something to remember.

“I know in all my years, I can’t think of a better debut than what he did,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “He came into a one-run game with the tying run on second base and got eight outs — seven strikeouts. That’s just so impressive.

“He had so much poise out there. I was so impressed with how he handled himself. The things I had heard about him, he’s got a great makeup, so I was not worried about that. And when he came to the mound, I could see the confidence in this kid. It was just a tremendous job by him.”

It has been five years since Anderson was drafted out of McNeese. The right-hander who was 2-0 this year in the minors this season, didn’t sign for a lot of money but wanted the chance to live out his dream.

He got to do that and make an impact right away.

“I’m really happy and excited about that. I’m just overall blessed,” Anderson said. “My family was here to get to see it. My wife, my mom and dad, my siblings, I just really can’t put into words what it means, but it means a lot for sure.”

“The first thing is, it’ll give me confidence in the next outing,” Anderson said. “Obviously after you realize you can get outs here, against some of the best in the world, it just helps you with confidence for the next one. As far as memories go, it’s definitely up there.”

Anderson learned the hard way how to get people out. His earned run average his freshman year with the Pokes was 13.80. He moved to the pen as a sophomore.

“There is nobody who has worked so hard and this means so much,” Hill said. “He just works his butt off and you saw what could be start his sophomore year.”

Anderson went 8-0 with a 2.30 ERA in his second year at McNeese then 4-7 as a junior.

“Grant has had to work for everything he has gotten,” Hill said. “I’m so happy for him. This is what he always wanted. I think he has what it takes to stay there.”

After McNeese, Anderson bounced around the country pitching from Clinton, Iowa, to Round Rock, Texas, before Tuesday night’s effort in Detroit. Now he wants to keep building on that performance.

“The first thing is, it’ll give me confidence in the next outing,” Anderson said. “Obviously after you realize you can get outs here, against some of the best in the world, it just helps you with confidence for the next one.

“As far as memories go, it’s definitely up there. My parents worked really hard to raise us, and I just know that they’re really proud of it. I think that’s what means the most today.

“I’m just really blessed and really fortunate and glad that the Rangers have given me the opportunity. I don’t really know any words I could put to describe it, but it feels really good.”

Not bad for a debut.