Courtesy of Army West Point Athetlics Communications

TORONTO – Army West Point baseball alum Chris Rowley had a memorable Major League Baseball debut Saturday afternoon in front of more than 46,000 fans at Rogers Centre.

After getting the call that most young boys dream about late Thursday night, Rowley had one day to prepare for the biggest game of his career up until this point. But the 2013 graduate did not disappoint. He finished 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and just one run, while sprinkling in three strikeouts during his time on the hill. And by the way, he also earned the win after his team backed him with seven runs in the victory over the Pirates.

As anyone would be when making their MLB debut, Rowley had some nerves prior to first pitch. But for this First Lieutenant it was nothing he couldn't overcome.

"I felt pretty calm, I got pretty nervous last night in anticipation but once I got out there and started throwing, I felt calm for the most part," Rowley said. "When I came off the field, I got a little emotional. That was a pretty cool experience. When you've got 45,000 people standing on their feet, that's the first time I've ever seen that in person. That was pretty cool."

The Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was also happy with the performance his rookie provided.

"Awesome, really, and we've been looking for that, Gibbons said." "He looked very confident out there. He had good life on his fastball, good sink to his fastball. Threw some good breaking balls. A debut is never easy but I thought he did a tremendous job. He ought to feel proud of himself and excited."

Rowley became the first West Point graduate to throw a pitch in the major leagues and was the 13th pitcher in Blue Jays history to win his debut on the mound and the first since 2012.

Rowley ’13 Becomes 1st Army Player in MLB

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Former Army West Point pitching star and 2013 graduate Chris Rowley saw his lifelong dream come true Friday – he's now a Major League Baseball player.

Rowley got word late Thursday night that the "big club," the Toronto Blue Jays, were calling him up. The righty was not only told he would be joining the team back in Toronto but that he would be making the start on Saturday at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. That game is slated for a 1:07 p.m. first pitch.

He departs the Buffalo Bisons, Toronto's Triple-A affiliate, with a 2.82 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched. Despite his misleading 3-4 record, Rowley holds a 1.21 WHIP in 10 games played. After just being called up from Double-A on June 19th, he worked his way into the starting lineup for the Herd notching six starts with 41 strikeouts.

His second call up in as many months is quite the accomplishment considering a little more than two years ago Rowley was in Germany getting ready to fly home after finishing up his deployment of more than 30 months of active duty.

Rowley, who served as a First Lieutenant for Bravo Company of the 2-7 Infantry, 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, went from being an Army Officer to Army's first major leaguer.