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KINGSVILLE, Texas (Baseball) – Join No. t-22 Texas A&M University-Kingsville (20-8, 11-5 LSC) on April Fools Day as the nationally-ranked Javelinas begin the month with a four-game series against No. 17/11 West Texas A&M University (23-7, 12-4 LSC) at Nolan Ryan Field. Game one is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, a doubleheader follows, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday and the end of the first half of Lone Star Conference play is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
Live stats will be available for all four games and can be accessed by visiting JavelinaAthletics.com.
 
First Pitch
The Buffs currently hold a slim lead atop the LSC standings with the Javelinas and Angelo State University just one game behind WT. Texas A&M-Kingsville has not lost an LSC series in 2016 with victories over Cameron University, Eastern New Mexico University and Tarleton State University, 3-1, and a 2-2 split with the Rams.
 
Awards
Earlier this week, right fielder Pablo Hernandez was named the conference's hitter of the week for the week of March 22-28. Hernandez compiled a .533 batting average with two home runs, eight hits and five RBI.
 
In the midweek victory at Texas A&M International University, Hernandez entered the game as a defensive substitution, and an inning later, blasted a home run in his lone plate appearance in the victory. Against Tarleton State University, Hernandez and the Javelinas went 3-1 and moved up three spots in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (CBN) Division II National Rankings.
 
For the season, Hernandez is hitting .333 with 20 RBI and a team-leading six home runs. Defensively, the right fielder has not committed an error. In conference play, he is batting .347 with four home runs and 13 RBI. His .347 clip is good for ninth in the conference and his four dingers are leading the league.
 
About the Hogs
Dalton Perry leads the team in hitting with a .443 batting average and the senior has four home runs, six doubles, 17 RBI and five stolen bases. He enters the pivotal weekend with a reached base safely streak of 17 games. Hayden Vesely follows as the senior is hitting .350 with 22 RBI, six triples and seven stolen bases, Ruben Almaguer is batting .348 with a team-best 31 ribbies and 12 doubles, and Christian Caudle (.339, four doubles), Hernandez, Jimmy Roche (.326, three home runs, 20 RBI), Hunter Perkins (.321) and Zach Smith (.319, team-high 10 stolen bases) are all over the .300 clip.
 
On the rubber, the Javelina pitching staff looks to continue their dominate after allowing just seven runs in 30 innings in the 3-1 series win over the Texans. Preston Plovanich extended his scoreless inning streak to 15.2 innings before an unearned run came around to score in a 2-1 win over Tarleton State. The victory followed his shutout and the southpaw struck out six in 6.1 innings. Plovanich has not allowed an earned run in 16.1 innings and enters Friday with a 2-0 record and 3.00 ERA. Sebi Palacios (1-0) has 29 strikeouts in 24.1 innings and Jacob Foitek (2-0) has tossed back-to-back complete games, including a shutout in the win over TSU. Jako Kelm has 20 strikeouts in 13 appearances out of the 'pen and Trey Taylor is 1-1 with two saves. Shane Veeder has a team-best four victories on the hill in nine appearances (four starts) and Vesely is 2-1 with two saves.
 
About the Buffs
Expected to begin the series for the Buffaloes is LSC Preseason co-Pitcher of the Year Brooks Trujillo. The right-hander is 5-2 with a 3.65 ERA. Austin Moore (RHP) is 6-1 with a 1.22 ERA and is expected to get the nod in game one Saturday, followed by southpaw Justin McAllister (3-1, 3.76 ERA). Another left-hander, Luke Wiechec, will presumably get the ball in the matinee ballgame Sunday.
 
Closer Kyle Tinius picked up two saves and combined in two shutouts in the series victory over Eastern New Mexico. He leads the LSC with seven saves on the year and is 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 2016.
 
For the season, second baseman Trace Hansen leads the team with a .386 average with 44 hits, 12 doubles, two triples and three home runs, while driving in 22 and scoring 27. He is 11 of 13 in stolen bases and is slugging .605, while reaching base at a .447 clip as the lone Buff to play and start all
30 games thus far. Matt Cole leads the team with four triples, while first baseman Christian Loya has a team-high six home runs as both are second and third in average at .375 and .369, respectively. Cole is second in hits with 39.
 
All-Time Series
Texas A&M-Kingsville has a 64-45 lead in the all-time series versus West Texas A&M. The teams split the meetings last season with the Javelinas taking three-of-four at Nolan Ryan Field.
 
Be sure to follow the six-time Lone Star Conference championships on Twitter (@JavelinaBSB) and Instagram (@JavelinaBSB), and like the /JavelinaSports Facebook page.