KINGSVILLE, Texas – Three pitchers combined to allow one run on eight hits in 14 innings and the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team silenced Southwestern Baptist University's bats in a doubleheader sweep, as the Javelinas won 5-1 and 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at Nolan Ryan Field in Kingsville, Texas.
This marks two straight seasons Kingsville has started 6-0. In 2017, coach Jason Gonzales led his team to victories in their first 11 contests. The Bearcats now have a record of 3-4
GAME ONE
The Javelinas took the early lead in the second inning, with Kohl Ullman providing the spark. The sophomore singled with one out, moved to third on an error and came across when Dylan Hutcheson lifted a sacrifice fly into right. One inning later, a single and a hit batter brought Dallas Stefano to the plate and he lined an RBI single into center for a 2-0 lead.
A Don Roethler double followed by a Tyler Mathys single got Southwest Baptist on the board in the fourth, but Isaiah Lybarger refused to allow anything after that. In picking up his second win of the season, Lybarger yielded only four hits while walking two and striking out five.
The Hogs gave their starter a little more breathing room in their half of the fourth, with a rally that started with an Alex Gonzalez double and a hit batsman. Christian Caudle knocked in Gonzalez with a single, then swiped second. When Pablo Hernandez proceeded to whack a double into the left-center field gap, TAMUK tallied two more runs to go ahead by four.
The responsibility of recording the last six outs fell to Jarred Taylor and he was up to the challenge. The right-hander stranded men on base in both innings while throwing scoreless ball.
SECOND GAME
Starting pitcher Lee May Gonzalez was the star of the second game. He confounded the opposition in a complete game victory, during which he gave up only three hits and walked just one. Gonzalez struck out four, retired the side in order twice and induced three double plays.
The game was scoreless through three before Hutcheson made the first dent in home plate. After leading off the fourth with a single, the junior outfielder took second on a sacrifice and scored thanks to an RBI double by Caudle.
Insurance for the Javelinas came in the sixth, as Hutcheson helped set up another opportunity. He reached on an error to start things off and proceed to steal second. Following a walk by Caudle and an error that loaded the bases, Giancarlo Servin drew a walk to force in a run. The game's final two runs tallied on base hit by Will Arnold.
Gonzalez allowed two men to reach in the seventh, but got Roethler to fly out and Carl Schwettman to line out, ending the game.
The final game of this weekend set will occur on Sunday, with first pitch at 11 a.m. To follow the program all season long, you can follow the team on Twitter @JavelinaBSB, like /JavelinaSports on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina athletics YouTube channel.
