KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (4-3) walked off for the second time this season in game one and put up a crooked number in the fifth of game two to sweep Texas A&M International University (4-9) with a 4-3 win in game one and 8-3 victory in game two Saturday at Nolan Ryan Field.
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Game OneZach Smith finished 2-for-4 and
Hayden Vesely picked up a triple. On the bump, Vesely struck out five in 4.0 innings and
Jako Kelm came out of the bullpen with 3.0 scoreless innings. Earning the win was
Trey Taylor, who improved to 1-0 after a scoreless ninth frame. Justin Diaz (1-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing a run in 2.2 innings of work.
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The Javelinas struck first with a run in the second after
Zach Smith, who reached on a leadoff single, came around to score to give the Hogs a 1-0 lead.
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Kingsville added a run in the fifth on Vesely's RBI triple and
Brayton Carlson was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced in the sixth to plate TAMUK's third run of the game, giving the Javelinas a 3-0 lead heading into the later innings.
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Texas A&M-Kingsville was up 3-0 in the ninth, but the Dustdevils scored nine in the top half of the frame. The Javelinas made quick work in the bottom of the ninth, as Carlson, who reached on an infield single, came around to score the game-winning run on
Dalton Perry's walk-off double, showcasing the wheels as the Hogs clinched the series with a 4-3 victory in the first game Saturday.
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Game TwoThe offense woke up in game two, beginning in the first with a two-run shot off the bat of
Ruben Almaguer to give the Hogs a 2-0 lead. After Texas A&M International scored three in the top of the third, the Javelinas responded with two in the bottom frame to regain a lead, this time 4-3. Perry walked to begin the bottom half of the inning and stole second to put himself into scoring position. Vesley recorded yet another triple, his third of the series, to tie the game at 3-3 and moments later, came around to score on a wild pitch.
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The fifth began with more power as Perry tripled and scored on the very next play on an interference call in a rundown situation. Vesely reached on a fielder's choice and Almaguer walked and the two crossed the plate on
Pablo Hernandez's two-run triple.
Miles Holcomb brought in Hernandez as Texas A&M-Kingsville put a crooked number up on the scoreboard in the fifth, taking an 8-3 lead.
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Shane Veeder came out of the bullpen and was sensational, giving up a hit in 4.0 innings of work to get the win, improving to 1-1 on the year.
Preston Plovanich threw the first 3.0 innings for the Hogs and struck out three. Dustin Labit (0-3) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs in 4.0 innings.
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Through the first seven games of the season, Almaguer is batting .471 with a home run and five RBI. The Javelina pitching staff boasts a 3.10 ERA. This week, the bullpen tossed 13.0 innings and struck out 10.
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Texas A&M-Kingsville battles St. Mary's University next week in a home-and-home series. The Hogs head to San Antonio to take on the Rattlers Thursday before hosting StMU in a double dip Saturday.
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