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KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – No. 21/19 Texas A&M University-Kingsville (2-3) saw just how tough in-region play is going to be as Newman University (3-2) took game one, 7-5, but the Javelinas rallied from behind to take game two, 9-8, in their home opener on Friday at Nolan Ryan Field.
 
"We are working out some kinks, but our defense made some great plays in crucial situations," said head coach Jason Gonzales. "We lost a lot of players and it will take time for us to figure it out. Having guys that can come in and contribute will help our growth in the coming weeks. Our bullpen did a great job of coming in early and pitching through some tough positions."
 
Game One
With the tying at first base, the Javelinas threatened to rally back and take game one, but Newman defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7-5. 
 
Newman scored two runs on three hits in the opening frame to take a quick lead. The Javelinas returned the favor in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs on four hits.
 
Ryan Fickel led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Zach Smith's single. An RBI ground out by Miles Holcomb drove in Fickel and Smith crossed the plate on a bloop single by Cline Andrews to tie the game.
 
An error proved to be costly in the fifth inning, allowing the Jets to score three runs (one earned) and take a 5-2 lead. Ryan Benitez's day was over after 4.2 innings as the right-hander struck out a career-high seven in his second start of the season.
 
The bottom of sixth was led off with a bang as Larren Artis cleared the left field fences for his first home run as a Javelina, cutting TAMUK's deficit to 5-3.
 
The Jets added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh for a four-run lead. 
 
Fickel drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and moved to third on a double by Smith to put runners in scoring position for the Javelinas with no outs. After a hit by pitch loaded the bases, pinch hitter Blake Johnson drove in two on a single to right field to put the tying run on base, but the Jets escaped with a two-run win in the first game.  
 
Benitez fell to 0-1 on the year and left-hander Lucas Schauer (1-1) picked up his first win of the year after going 6.1, allowing five runs. Joe Cannady earned a save in 0.2 innings of work.
 
Andrews went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Artis and Smith each recorded two hits. Eight Kingsville starters reached base safely in game one.
 
Game Two
The Jets struck first, scoring three in the top of the first, but the Javelinas answered with two runs on two walks, a wild pitch and an RBI ground out.
 
NU tacked on another run in the second and three runs in the third to take a 7-2 lead, but the Javelinas answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom to make it a two-run game heading into the middle innings.
 
David Massey doubles to left field to lead off the fourth and scored on a Smith single (and throw) as Wesley Aguilar and Smith moved into scoring position with no outs. After advancing on a balk, Holcomb singled through the right side for an RBI as the Javelinas overtook the Jets, 8-7.
 
NU tied the game with a run in the sixth, but the Javelinas put the decisive run on the scoreboard in the seventh on a pinch hit RBI single by Blake Johnson.
 
Weston Silverberg (1-0) earned the win after 2.0 perfect innings and Ryan Scott picked up his first save of the season and 15^th of his career – one shy of second place on the all-time TAMUK list – after a scoreless ninth. Dustin Luna threw 3.2 innings of relief, striking out four. Tagged with the loss for the Jets was right-hander Tanner Lee (0-1).
 
Smith went 2-for-2 with three runs and reached base safely in all four appearances in game two and Wallace added two hits. Andrews drove in two and seven hitters registered a base knock.
 
The Javelinas return to the diamond tomorrow for a 1 p.m. contest. Prior to the game, the 2014 Lone Star Conference champion team will be honored in a pregame ceremony. Live stats and video will be available and can be accessed by visiting JavelinaAthletics.com, the official home of Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
For full coverage of Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball, please follow @TAMUKBaseball14 and @Javelinasdotcom on Twitter and @JavelinaAthletics on Instagram, like our Facebook page (Javelina Nation), and subscribe to our YouTube channel, JavelinaAthletics.