KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – Top seeded Texas A&M University-Kingsville was on the wrong end of a quick start as No. 4 Tarleton State University (21-23) took a 9-0 lead early in the game and defeated the Javelinas (29-22), 9-3, on Thursday afternoon at Nolan Ryan Field.
Wind factored into the game from the jump as TSU took a 1-0 lead on a leadoff home run. The Texans tacked on three runs in the second to take a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Tarleton's quick start continued in the third on Kevin Meredith's solo shot, his seventh long ball of the season and a big fifth inning – four runs to be exact – gave TSU a 9-0 lead.
However, the Javelinas finally got on the board after second team All-Lone Star Conference center fielder
Brayton Carlson and
JP Phillips came around to score after reaching on back-to-back leadoff singles. Carlson scored on a
Jimmy Roche RBI ground out and Phillips crossed the plate on a wild pitch to cut TAMUK's deficit to 9-2.
The score remained the same until pinch hitters
David Massey and
Miles Holcomb began the eighth with back-to-back singles through the right side and Massey came around to score on
Cline Andrews' RBI base knock, making it a 9-3 ballgame.
The Javelinas will take on No. 2 West Texas A&M University in an elimination game at 7 p.m. The Buffs fell to Angelo State University, 6-5, in the tournament opener. TAMUK and WT were co-LSC regular season champions, but the Hogs earned the No. 1 seed after taking the regular season series, 4-3.
With the win, TSU will take on No. 3 Angelo State tomorrow at 3 p.m.
Andrews, Vesely and Phillips recorded two hits apiece. Tagged with the loss was right-hander
Dustin Luna (1-3), who allowed four runs in 2.0 innings. Earning the win for the Texans was right-hander Kyle Gottardy (4-6) who tossed seven innings of two-run, six strikeout ball.
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