Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Texas A&M – Kingsville baseball team fell to West Texas A&M, 17-3, in game six of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Baseball Tournament on Friday.
The Buffs (37-19) ran away with the game scoring 17 runs in the first five innings. Kingsville (35-19) scored three runs total with one run in the second, fourth and ninth inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, West Texas A&M dominated by consistently loading the bases to score seven runs. The first run came as Tyler McKnight singled to center field and drove in Matt Redfearn, 1-0. Redfearn reached first base on an error, advanced to second base when Nick Chapman singled to left field, and advanced to third base when Aaron Blair was walked. The second run was scored when David Hebert was walked and drove in Nick Chapman, 2-0. Chapman reached first base with a single, advanced to second base when Blair walked and advanced to third base on McKnight's single.
Blair scored the third run for the Buffs when Jacob Caples grounded out, 3-0. Blair walked to reach first base, advanced to second base on McKnight's single, and to third base as Hebert walked. McKnight scored the fourth run as Justin Hargrove single through the left side, 4-0. Redfearn drove in Dylan Dyson and Blair when he doubled to center field, 6-0. Dyson was hit by pitch to reach first base, advanced to second on Hargrove's single through the left side and advanced to third when Redfearn doubled to left center. Hebert walked to reach first base, advanced to second when Caples grounded out, and advanced to third when Hargrove singled through the left side. The last run of the first inning was scored when Chapman singled down the left field line and drove in Hargrove, 7-0. Hargrove reached first base with a single and advance to third base on when Redfearn doubled to left center.
The Javelinas got on the board in the top of the second inning when
Ryan Guedry scored on a balk by West Texas A&M pitcher, Dylan James, 7-1. Guedry singled up the middle to reach first base, advanced to second base when Matt Holcomb singled through the left side and advanced to third base on a throwing error by the short stop, Redfearn.
West Texas scored one run in the bottom of the second inning and five in the bottom of the third inning. In the bottom of the second inning, McKnight crossed home plate after Caples grounded out to second base with one out, 8-1. McKnight tripled down the left field line. Javelina pitcher,
Mitchell Bro gave up a grand slam home run in the bottom of the third inning to McKnight, 12-1. McKnight's home run drove in Redfearn, Chapman, and Blair. Redfearn singled to reach first base, advanced to second base when Chapman walked, and advanced to third base after Blair walked. The final run of the third inning came as Caples homered to bring the score to 13-1.
Clint Wallace homered over the left field wall for Kingsville in the top of the fourth inning to bring the score to 13-2.
Johnny Gaines crossed home plate for the Buffaloes on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning, 14-2. Gaines was hit by a pitch from Bro to reach first, advanced to second base after Redfearn singled to left field, and advanced to third base when Chapman singled to left center field.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, West Texas scored three runs. The first of the three runs came when Hebert scored after Hargrove doubled to left center, 15-2. Hebert singled through the left side to reach first base and advanced to second base when Caples singled up the middle. Gaines drove in Hargrove and Caples for the last two runs as he singled down the left field line, 17-2. Hargrove doubled to get on base. Caples singled up the middle to reach first base and advanced to third base when Hargrove doubled to left center.
The Javelinas would score the last run of the game when
Matt Perez drove in
Derrick Walls with a double to left center, 17-3. Walls singled to center field to get on base.
Ryan Benitez (4-2) suffered the loss for Kingsville. Benitez pitched .1 innings with six runs with five earned on two hits.
Dylan James (9-3) picked up the win for the Buffs by putting in eight innings of work. He ended his night with two runs with one earned on seven hits.
With this loss, the Javelinas fall to the loser's bracket and will face Tarleton State on Saturday in Game 8 at 3:30 p.m. (Mountain time) / 4:30 p.m. (Central time).
