KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M University-Kingsville baseball program checked in at No. 19 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) poll heading into the four-game weekend series with No. 5 West Texas A&M.

The Lone Star matchup with the Buffs will take place at Nolan Ryan Field starting on Friday, March 9, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

The Javelinas are fresh off a four-game sweep of LSC foe UT-Permian Basin as the Hogs opened up the floodgates in all four contests after averaging 12 runs per game in the series while limiting the Falcons to 3.25.

Kohl Ullman and Austin Ingraham led the way on the offensive end in the series as the duo combined for 14 hits, including four doubles, with eight RBI and were both perfect from the field.

Christian Caudle had the lone triple during the series as the Hogs connected for 39 hits as a team with eight as extra-bases.

On the mound, Kyle Craft, Tyler Flores and Lee May Gonzalez all took home wins in the series while Preston Plovanich went seven innings in game one and took the no-decision with five strikeouts.

In total, the starting rotation for the Javelinas surrendered three runs and 10 hits over 21 innings of work with 15 strikeouts.

Seth Hubert came in relief in the first game of the series to take the win with 1.1 innings of work and a punchout, while the bullpen saw nine innings of action in the four-game series and sat down 10 Falcons on strikes as a group.

West Texas A&M is currently on a five-game win streak, following a four-game sweep of Tarleton State, and has only dropped one contest in the past 14 matchups with sweeps over Adams State and New Mexico Highlands.

The Buffs are led by Nick Canas who is hitting .393 through 17 games for the Buffs behind 24 hits, 10 for extra bases, a .656 slugging percentage and a .480 on-base percentage with 10 walks. West Texas A&M currently has six players hitting over .300 who have also started at least 14 games so far this season.

On the mound, the Buffs will trot out Joe Corbett, Zach Dixon and Ryan Larison who have combined for an 8-1 record on 13 starts. Corbett owns a 1.63 ERA on 27.2 innings pitched with 42 strikeouts and a .130 batting average against to lead West Texas A&M.

Dixon's 2.20 ERA is courtesy of 16.1 innings pitched and a .115 opponent batting average with 18 strikeouts, while Larison brings up the rear with a 4.38 ERA in 24.2 innings pitched with a .272 OBA and 29 strikeouts.

The Javelinas and Buffs have had thrilling battles in recent years as West Texas A&M bested the Hogs in Canyon, Texas, last March with a four-game sweep.

TAMUK rebounded with a split back at Nolan Ryan Field in late April, but the Buffs had the last laugh as they handed the Javelinas their first loss in the 2017 Lone Star Conference Tournament in San Angelo, Texas, in early May.

The Hogs own the overall record at 76-58 in a series that has dated back to 1994.

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