KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – Matt Terrones improved to 5-0 on the season with his second complete game shutout in game one and the offense exploded for a four-run sixth to clinch the series with the opening game victory, 7-0, on Monday afternoon at Nolan Ryan Field. Texas A&M University-Kingsville (18-8, 12-3 LSC) holds a three-game lead in the Lone Star Conference over No. 13/6 Angelo State University (19-7, 9-6 LSC) despite falling in game two, 11-3.
With the game one win, the Javelinas improved to 5-0 in series' in 2015, 7-1 against nationally-ranked opponents and 15-2 at home.
Game OneThe Javelinas struck first, scoring on a wild pitch and
Clint Wallace followed with an RBI single as the Hogs took a 2-0 lead in the first.
Patience at the plate allowed TAMUK to add a run in the second after
Hayden Vesely drew a bases loaded walk to give the Javelinas a 3-0 lead.
Back-to-back highlight reel plays ended the top of the sixth as
Ryan Fickel and
Blake Johnson made diving stops as Terrones continued to put zeroes up on the board.
Kingsville found the left center field gap twice in the sixth on an RBI double by Fickel and RBI single off the bat of
Zach Smith to take a 5-0 lead. Continuing the trend, Vesely found a gap - this time in right center - to plate Smith and
Cline Andrews added a single up the middle for the fourth run of the inning.
Terrones continued to dominate and ended the game with four strikeouts, lowering his season earned run average to 2.75.
Larren Artis went 2-for-3 from the plate, Smith added two runs and Vesely finished game one 1-for-1 with two RBI and three walks. Bryce Zak fell to 4-3 on the year after allowing three runs in 4.1 innings.
Game TwoAfter two scoreless innings to begin game two, the Rams took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Despite allowing the run,
Trey Taylor – who was making his first start as a Javelina – was able to limit the damage, picking off a runner at first and ending the inning on a great stop by Roche.
A one out walk by Vesely got the runs started for the Hogs as the shortstop came around to score on an RBI single by Johnson. Wallace went back-to-back with an RBI single of his own, plating Andrews (reached on a hit by pitch) to give the Hogs a 2-1 lead.
Brayton Carlson followed with the third consecutive RBI single, making it a two-run ballgame.
Taylor went 4.0 innings and allowed three runs in the no-decision.
An eight-run fifth blew the game open and allowed ASU to take a 9-3 lead. The Rams tacked on runs in the sixth and seventh and earned the win in the final game of the four-game set, 11-3.
Johnson and Wallace each went 2-for-3 in the latter game of Sunday's doubleheader.
Dustin Luna (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs in 0.2 innings. Earning the win for the Rams was right-hander Dillon Becker, who improved to 2-0 on the season after striking out three in 2.1 innings. Graylon Brown threw a scoreless ninth to pick up his fifth save of the season.
The Javelinas head to Austin for the first of nine straight road contests tomorrow as TAMUK looks to upset No. 20/RV St. Edward's University (20-8) tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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