KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team hosts a crucial Lone Star Conference series with league-leader West Texas A&M this weekend when the two sides meet for three game at Nolan Ryan Field.

The Javelinas, who defeated No. 13 St. Mary's 10-4 on Tuesday, sit at 21-12 on the season. Kingsville is currently second in the conference at 13-7. West Texas (26-7) is two games ahead of the Javelinas with a 15-5 Lone Star Conference mark and is ranked sixth in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Poll.

The Hoggies are sixth in the region poll, while the Buffs are first.

The series marks the start of the second trip through the league for both teams. Each has now played four games against each team in the LSC. The teams will now meet play three games against each of the teams in the league on the home field of the visitors the first time through.

In the first meeting between the two teams, West Texas took 3-of-4 in Canyon to open conference play. West Texas won the first two games 9-6 and 11-1. Kingsville won the third contest 1-0 before dropping the finale 2-1 in ten innings.

In the first series, Kingsville hit .218 as a team as three players hit .333. Derrick Walls, Ryan Guedry and Clint Wallace each hit .333. Wallace had a team-best four RBI and a home run. Denver Diefenbach claimed the lone win for the pitching staff tossing a complete game shutout as the Javelinas recorded a 6.75 ERA.

West Texas hit .345 against the Javelinas In the first four games. On the mound, the Buffs had a 2.82 ERA as Dylan James and Josh Weyker each threw complete games.

Since first meeting to open LSC play, the Javelinas have gone 12-4 including a 3-1 series win over Tarleton State last weekend. Meanwhile, WT split its conference series with Cameron and has also gone 12-4 since hosting Kingsville.

The series pits the LSC's top two pitching staffs against each other.

The Buffs lead the league with a 2.46 ERA and are 10^th in the nation, while Kingsville is second with a 2.81 ERA and is 17^th nationally. Diefenbach for the Javelinas, and James and Weyker for WT lead the conference with six wins apiece which is 12^th nationally. Javelina closer Ryan Scott has six saves in the last three weeks and is now tied for the league lead and is 16^th nationally.

Offensively, the Javelinas are led by Ryan Guedry and Derrick Walls, who are hitting .356 and .342, respectively. James Black, who is hitting .317, leads the team with 19 RBI as eight Hoggies have at least 10. WT boasts Nick Chapman with a league-leading .380 entering the week, while Tyler McKnight is hitting .379. David Hebert leads the Buffs with 21 RBI.

Friday's action will be streamed live at tamuk.tv with live stats for each game at http://www.sidearmstats.com/tamuk/baseball/.