KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – Sophomore Dustin Aguilar (San Antonio/Churchill HS) put an end to the longest baseball game in school history with his 14th inning single to lift Texas A&M-Kingsville over visiting Lone Star Conference rival Cameron, 3-2 in the second game of a doubleheader. The Aggies (18-19, 7-9) won the first game, 5-3.

Aguilar’s base hit came after the Javelinas (22-9, 10-6) had already used 19 players in the game. Chris Ballou (Houston/Houston Christian HS) had entered the game in the 13th inning and led off the 14th with a walk. That was followed by a hit batsman and then Aguilar faked a bunt and slapped the ball down the third base line past the diving fielder to clinch the victory.

The Javelinas dropped the first game of the doubleheader despite getting a solid pitching performance from Dallas Ponder (Flatonia/Flatonia HS). He went 5.1 innings allowing four hits and five walks while striking out a career high 10 batters. Unfortunately, four errors led to three unearned runs that proved to be the difference in the game.

The Aggies scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning and then scored three times in the third inning thanks to a pair of walks and an error. Tyler Cox drove in one run with a single and Kevin Lum followed with a two-run single to make it 4-0.

The Javelinas scratched across lone runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but Clay Vanderlaan was able to avoid the big inning thanks to a pair of inning-ending double plays. Vanderlaan improved to 4-2 on the season after allowing six hits, three runs and five walks in 4.1 innings while striking out three. Cody Hudson pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and then Aaron Kleekamp closed out the seventh inning to earn his fourth save of the year.

Javelina catcher Jake Mendiola (Kingsville/Richland Northeast HS) was the only player in the game to have more than one hit. He went 2-for-3 with two RBI’s. Denver Diefenbach (Victoria/St. Joseph’s HS) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief for the team.

In the second game, each team received excellent pitching. Cameron’s Mike Carlson went 8.1 innings allowing six hits, two runs and no walks while striking out six in a no-decision. Javelina starting pitcher Zach Pettiford (San Diego, CA/Patrick Henry HS) went 7.0 strong inning allowing eight hits, two runs and one walk while striking out eight.

The Javelinas opened the game by scoring single runs in the first and second innings, but were held scoreless over the next 11 frames. The Aggies plated a run in the third inning and then tied it up in the eighth. A lead-off single by Taylor Lyons followed by a sacrifice bunt and a ground out allowed Brad Blumer’s infield single to tie the game.

It looked like the Aggies might take the lead in the ninth inning after drawing a pair of walks with only one out. Javelina closer Cameron Dullnig (San Antonio/Clark HS) came on and induced a ground out, but then walked a batter to load the bases. He escaped the jam by striking out Josh Dawson. The Aggies would never threaten to score again the rest of the game as Dullnig, Diefenbach and Cole Foster (Katy/Taylor HS) held them hitless.

The Javelinas put runners on base in each extra frame, but were never able to get the clutch hit until Aguilar came through in the 14th inning. Foster picked up his second win of the year while Wade Myatt was handed the loss in a valiant effort.

The Javelinas finished the game with 10 hits led by three singles from Dullnig. James Black (Spring/Klein Collins HS) each had two hits in the game.

The Aggies finished with nine hits in the contest. Blumer and Thomas Galvin each had a pair of safeties.

The Javelinas are back in action next Friday at West Texas A&M at 6 p.m.
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