Box Score AUSTIN, Texas – In a crucial region matchup, the Texas A&M-Kingsville received stellar pitching and timely hitting to claim a 3-1 victory over St. Edward's at Lucian Hamilton Field on Tuesday.

With the win, the Javelinas improve to 30-14 on the season. The Hilltoppers fall to 31-12.

Ryan Benitez tossed six innings of 1-run baseball in moving to 3-1 on the season. He scattered six hits, had three strikeouts and overcame four walks in avenging his only loss of the season. Cody Williams added two scoreless to bridge the gap to closer Ryan Scott. Scott tossed a perfect ninth for his ninth save of the season.

Benitez's counterpart for the Hilltoppers' Dylan Brown suffered his first loss of the season. After starting the season 7-0, Brown lasted 4-1/3 innings on Tuesday allowing all three runs. He walked six and, after fanning eight Javelinas in the first meeting, had two in this meeting.

While Benitez won the battle on the mound, Taylor Taska was sparking the offense with a hand in all three runs.

With one out in the first inning, Ryan Fickel walked and stole second. He would score on a double to right by Taska. Taska scored to make it 2-0 on a 2-out single by Matt Perez, who made his return to the starting lineup after missing several weeks due to injury.

After the Hilltoppers took advantage of a pair of walks in order to score a run in the bottom of the first, Taska would single-handedly make it a 2-run game again in the fifth.  With one away, Taska belted his sixth home run of the season. It was his third in the last seven games.

The Hoggies return to Nolan Ryan Field this weekend for their final regular-season series of the season as they host Angelo State. The teams will meet at 6 p.m. on Friday night, with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Saturday will be Pack the House, Spirit Day, Greek Day and Senior Day.