Box Score KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team were solid in all phases on Friday night in downing Angelo State 2-1 in Lone Star Conference  play at Nolan Ryan Field in the first game of their three-game set.

The Javelinas moved to 31-14 on the season and remained in first in the LSC with a 21-9 record. Angelo falls to 25-20 and 14-16 in the league. The two teams will meet in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday as the team hosts Pack the House, Spirit Day and Greek Day in the final home game. Fifteen Javelina seniors will be recognized between the two games.

With the game tied 0-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Javelinas scored twice.

Derrick Walls led the inning off with an infield single and moved to second an error by the Rams. Matt Perez drove in Walls with a single to right. With two away after Perez was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, James Black lined a double to left to drive in Taska.

Starter Dallas Ponder and the Hoggie defense made the lead stand.

For his part, Ponder improved to 7-1 on the season as he scattered six hits. He permitted one unearned run while striking out nine. The senior did not allow a walk. The win was the 22^nd of his career as he moves into a second in career wins. He also moved into second all-time with 228 strikeouts.
Cody Williams and Ryan Scott came in to finish the game with each tossing a scoreless inning. Williams threw a perfect eighth, while Scott allowed one hit in the ninth en route to his 10^th save of the season.

Defensively, the Kingsville defense turned three double plays  with the most important coming in the top of the fifth when ASU scored its one run. Cameron Massengill singled to lead off and went to second as Newhon Norkeh was hit by a pitch. After Ponder threw the ball away on a failed pick-off attempt allowing Massengill to move to third and Norkeh to second, JP Zapata singled up the middle to drive in a run. 

With the tying run at third, Ponder got Christian Summers to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Blake Bass (3-4) suffered the loss. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits.