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KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (7-5, 1-1 LSC) split its Lone Star Conference opener against No. 25/27 West Texas A&M University (9-5, 1-1 LSC) on a rainy Friday evening at Nolan Ryan Field, taking game one, 6-3, and game two, 3-1.
 
TAMUK starters were sensational all evening, allowing just four runs – three earned – in 11.1 innings, and the bullpen allowed just one run in 4.2. Kingsville registered 11 hits in game one to upset the Buffs and led for most of game two. Hayden James went a season-high 6.1 innings and struck out a career-high 11 hitters and Cline Andrews extended his hitting streak to eight games in game one.  
 
"Our starting pitching was outstanding all day today," said head coach Jason Gonzales. "We did exactly what we wanted to do and our hitters in game one gave us some timely hits with runners on base. In game two, we forced our pitcher to be perfect and he hung up several zeros to give us an opportunity. A split is not what we wanted, but our goal is to come out and win both games tomorrow."
 
Game One
The top of the order combined to go a 6-for-7 and Ryan Benitez (2-1) went 5.0 innings as Kingsville earned a 6-3 win in game one. The senior right-hander allowed two runs – one earned – and struck out two for his second win of the season and Weston Silverberg picked up his second hold of 2015 and Ryan Scott earned his third save of the season with a scoreless seventh. The save was his 17^th of the season, placing the senior in sole possession of second place on the all-time saves list. The win was head coach's Jason Gonzales' 190^th of his career, tying Hector Salinas for second most on the all-time wins list.
 
An error allowed WT to strike first and take a 1-0 run in the opening frame, but the Javelinas returned the favor in the bottom of the first. Ryan Fickel reached on a hit by pitch to begin the inning and came around to score on a single up the middle by Hayden Vesely.
 
The Buffs added a run in the second to take a 2-1 lead on a balk.
 
Fickel continued to reach base at will, doubling down the left field line and Zach Smith's single tied the game at 2-2. On the following play, Andrews' first triple of the season gave the Javelinas a 3-2 lead and with the infield in, Clint Wallace singled up the middle as TAMUK took a two-run lead.
 
Vesely gunned out a runner at home to preserve the Javs' two-run lead in the top of the fifth.
 
Smith led off the fifth with his second hit of the game and scored on a wild pitch as the Hogs took a three-run lead heading into the final two innings.
 
TAMUK tacked on an insurance run in the sixth to enter the final inning with a 6-2 lead.
 
WT scored on a double play in the seventh, but Kingsville took game one, 6-3.
 
Fickel, Smith and Andrews each registered two hits in the game. For the Buffs, the bottom of the order (Josh Day and Ryan March) combined for three hits and two runs.
 
Game Two
In game two, the Javelinas got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning. After Fickel led off reaching base safely on a walk, the second baseman crossed the plate on Vesely's sacrifice fly as the Hogs took a 1-0 lead.
 
That was all James needed as the senior kept dealing all evening, striking out 11 Buffs in 6.1 innings (115 pitches).
 
The Buffalos finally got to the Javelina righty in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs to take a one-run lead. WT tacked on another run in the ninth. The Javelinas were held hitless by right-hander Tyler Gibson until the sixth inning when Vesely and Wallace recorded back-to-back base knocks.
 
James (2-2) was tagged with the loss after setting a career-high in strikeouts and a season-high in innings. Gibson (2-1) earned the win after going 6.0 innings, striking out six and allowing just one run. Paul Lujan was credited with his first save of the season.
 
Day and March recorded two hits apiece for WT.
 
The series concludes tomorrow with a twin bill beginning at 1 p.m. Live stats and video feed will available for both games.
 
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