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GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Baseball) – Down by one in the ninth inning, No. 21/19 Texas A&M University-Kingsville stuck true to the game plan. Small ball proved to be the decisive role in Saturday's battle between nationally-ranked opponents as the Javelinas (1-2) rallied from behind to score three runs in the ninth and defeat No. 10/9 Southern Arkansas University (4-3), 6-4, on Saturday afternoon at QuikTrip Park.
 
A tough task at hand against one of the nation's top teams, Clint Wallace and Brayton Carlson hit back-to-back singles to put the tying run in scoring position with one out. JP Phillips singles through the left side to drive in Wallace and tie the game at 4-4. A double steal put both runners in scoring position and Mario Siller's beautiful squeeze play plated Carlson and Phillips, giving the Javelinas a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
 
Starter Ryan Benitez was stellar all afternoon, going 7.1 innings, allowing five hits and striking out six. The right-hander did not allow a walk. Take away the third and eighth inning and Benitez dominated the nationally-ranked Muleriders, allowing just one other baserunner to reach first base. He ended up with a no-decision follow Texas A&M-Kingsville's late-inning heroics.
 
Ryan Scott (1-0) earned the win, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings out of the 'pen, and Timothy Buchanan (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing 10 hits and six runs in 8.1. Carlson provided Kingsville's first long ball of the season, a solo shot, in the third and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Larren Artis went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double and Miles Holcomb added two singles. The hero was the senior middle infielder Siller, who finished 0-for-3 from the dish, but his bunt was the eventual game-winner.
 
A solo shot by Carlson led off the third inning, giving the Javelinas a 1-0 lead over the Muleriders.
 
However, SAU returned the favor in the bottom half of the frame, blasting a two-run shot to left-center field to take a one-run lead.
 
Beginning the fourth with a single up the middle, Miles Holcomb advanced to third on a double in the right-center field gap by Larren Artis, giving Kingsville runners in scoring position with one out. However, Holcomb was nailed at the plate on the following play, preserving the Muleriders' 2-1 edge.
 
Continuing to attack early, the Javelinas put leadoff runners on base on back-to-back singles in the sixth by Zach Smith and Holcomb. Head coach Jason Gonzales said that this year's squad will play more small ball than in year's past and boy was it masterful. Cline Andrews' sacrifice put runners in scoring position and both came around to score on Artis' two-run single to give the Javelinas a 3-2 lead.
 
Back-to-back bunts and an error allowed SAU to rally back and take a 4-3 lead, but the Javelinas showed its clutch hitting, stringing together back-to-back-to-back singles by Wallace, Carlson and Phillips to tie the game at 4-4 in the ninth inning. A double steal put the leading run 90 feet away and a bunt by Siller drove in two, giving the Javelinas a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
 
Scott shut the door as Texas A&M-Kingsville defeated the Muleriders, 6-4, in its final game at the QuikTrip Division II Classic. The win is TAMUK's first ever against SAU.
 
The Javelinas host Newman University on Friday, Feb. 13 for a doubleheader in their home opener. First pitch of game one is slated for 3 p.m. Following Friday's contest, Texas A&M-Kingsville will play a single game against the Jets on Valentine's Day at 1 p.m. Prior to Feb. 14's game, the Javelinas will receive their Lone Star Conference championship rings in a pregame ceremony so do not miss out on your chance to catch the diamond Hogs at Nolan Ryan Field.
 
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.