KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball picked up a pair of victories on Tuesday against visiting UT-Brownsville, 8-5 and 6-3.

The Javelinas (5-1) received a pair of strong starting pitching performances from senior Jaden Dillon (Bridge City/Bridge City HS) and sophomore Denver Diefenbach (Victoria/St. Joseph HS). Dillon went 7.0 innings in the first game allowing just one hit, one unearned run and two walks while striking out six in his first win for the team. Diefenbach went 5.0 innings allowing five hits, two earned runs and three walks while striking out two in a no-decision in the second game.

In the first game, the Javelinas scored first in the second inning and then took the lead for good in the fourth inning. They were able to push three runs across in the seventh inning and needed it as the Scorpions (8-5) scored four times in the top of the eighth to make it a 6-5 game.

The Hoggies scored twice more in the eighth inning and then Adrian DeLaGarza (Pearland/Dobie HS) closed out the game by striking out the side to earn his first save of the season.

The Javelinas pounded out 12 hits in the game. Matt Perez (Stevensville, MT/Home School) led the team with three hits, including a double. Cash Barker (Spring/Klein HS) reach base five times in the game via two hits, two hit by pitches and a walk and drove in two runs. Trent Wagner (Victoria/Memorial HS) scored three times.

In the second game, the Scorpions led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning after a solo home run by Zach Cordia in the top half of the inning. Cameron Dullnig (San Antonio/Clark HS) brought a run in when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and then Jake Mendiola’s (Kingsville/Richland Northeast HS) ground out. The Javs took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning when they scored three times, including a two-run single by Ben Villafuerte (Corpus Christi/Carroll HS). Dullnig then came on in relief in the top of the seventh and picked up his first save of the season. Jeremy Flores (Victoria/Memorial HS) was credited with the win after pitching a scoreless sixth inning.

The Javelinas did not get a hit until the fifth inning off Ryan Moye who went 4.1 innings and was given a no-decision. Matt Leffler was tagged with the loss.

The Javelinas are back in action next Tuesday at Texas A&M-International at 2 p.m.
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