CARY, N.C. – The No. 26 Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program took a less-than-ideal result on Sunday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex after suffering a loss in the Division-II College World Series opening round to No. 22/14 UC San Diego, 4-0.

The Javelinas (41-16) had plenty of opportunities to crack the egg on the scoreboard but the Tritons (43-15) wriggled out of every position they were put in as the Hogs were stuck on the backend of the decision.

UCSD struck first in the bottom half of the opening frame after Tyler Durna drove a double down the right field line to cap leadoff-man Brandon Stewart as TAMUK faced an early deficit for the first time in nearly three weeks. The Javelinas last faced a first-inning deficit in the 18-8 win over UT-Permian Basin in the first round of the Lone Star Conference Tournament on May 10.

Unlike the game against the Falcons, the Hogs failed to find a response for UC San Diego's early run. TAMUK left seven runners aboard on the day and had runners in scoring position in four different innings.

Junior Pablo Hernandez (Havana, Cuba) drove a two-out liner into left center and swiped second on the ensuing at bat during the second inning as the Hogs were unable to capitalize. Meanwhile, redshirt-sophomore Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) laced a double into left with one out in the top of the third but was stranded on the bags after a fly ball to center wasn't deep enough in the following at bat.

The Tritons tacked on another in the bottom of the fourth after Alex Eliopulos scored on a bases-loaded passed ball, while junior Alex Gonzalez (Corpus Christi, Texas) was stranded at second in the following inning after reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing second during the next at bat.

UCSD added two more in the home half of the fifth when Stewart came home on a sacrifice fly to center from Eliopulos before Durna crossed home later in the frame on a bounding ball back up the middle from Shay Whitcomb.

TAMUK's best chance to break through the cavalcade of pitching from the Tritons came in the eighth after Gonzalez led off by reaching on a miscue from the pitcher, while senior Levi Zents (Fort Worth, Texas) worked an eight-pitch at bat that ended in a single to left center for runners at first and second with two outs.

Unfortunately for the Hogs, UCSD's Kyle Lucke worked out of the jam with a fly ball to right to end the threat before Cameron Kurz sat the Javelinas down in order in the ninth to hand the Blue and Gold a loss.

TAMUK now moves on to the elimination bracket where it will face the loser of the final opening-round matchup of second-seeded Columbus State and seventh-seeded Mercyhurst. The Hogs will play their second game on Tuesday, May 29, with first pitch at 2 p.m. CT.

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