Tweet #GoBlueBeGold

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Baseball) – The Javelinas struck first and took a quick 1-0 lead but Southwestern Oklahoma State University's (1-3) bats struck for four runs in the fifth and defeated No. 21 Texas A&M University-Kingsville (0-2), 9-1, on Friday afternoon at QuikTrip Park.
 
Miles Holcomb (0-1) was hit with a loss despite striking out six as the Bulldogs scored four runs – two earned – on three hits. Junior right-hander Josh Chidester (1-1) evened his win-loss record, picking up a win in 7.0 innings of one-run ball. Clint Wallace went 2-for-3 with a double and a bunt single as the Javelinas dropped to 0-2 in the QuikTrip Division II Classic.
 
A 1-2-3 opening inning for Holcomb saw the left-hander strike out the side in the top frame and a leadoff triple by JP Phillips put a man 90 feet away from TAMUK's first lead of the season. Helping himself, Holcomb drove in Phillips on a ground out to second base, giving Kingsville a quick one-run lead. However, the Bulldogs scored two runs – both unearned – on a two-run double to overtake the nationally-ranked Javelinas 2-1.
 
Wallace led off the third with a bunt single and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position with one out. Hayden Vesely singled to left field to advance Wallace to third and after stealing second, put runners in scoring position with two outs, but TAMUK could not capitalize, stranding two.
 
Things quickly unraveled as the Bulldogs tacked on two runs in the fourth and a heartbreaking four-run fifth blew the game open for SWOSU as Southwestern Oklahoma State took a commanding 8-1 lead into the later innings.
 
SWOSU added a run in the eighth and downed the Javelinas 9-1 to improve to 11-19 all-time against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
The Javelinas search for their first win of the season tomorrow as the QuikTrip DII Classic comes to a close with No. 21 TAMUK taking on No. 9/6 Southern Arkansas University (4-1) at 4 p.m. The Muleriders defeated West Texas A&M University, 4-3, in 10 innings a day after earning a 10-inning win over the University of Nebraska at Kearney. SAU faces the University of Arkansas at Monticello in the first of two games for the host school on Saturday.
 
Live stats and video will be available and can be accessed by visiting JavelinaAthletics.com.
 
For full coverage of Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball, please follow @TAMUKBaseball14 on Twitter and @JavelinaAthletics on Instagram, like Javelina Nation on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel, Javelina Athletics.