KINGSVILLE, Texas - Unable to make a dent in the opposing pitching staff, the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program suffered a doubleheader defeat at the hands of No. 24 Angelo State on Saturday to drop the first series of 2019 at 8-3 and 12-4.

The Javelinas (10-7) fought to a one-run deficit in the second game of the day in the hopes of salvaging the split, but the Rams (18-4) pulled away late to take the decision.

GAME ONE

ASU opened up the scoring with a solo shot down the right field line in the top of the second and never looked back. Back-to-back doubles to right center in the top of the third, one each from Nick Seginowich and Riley Peterson, put the Hogs in a 3-0 hole, before an RBI groundout from Micheal Urquidi set the line score at 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

TAMUK tacked on the first run after junior Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) reached on an obstruction by pitcher Fabian Muniz in the bottom half of the inning prompted a long discussion between the umpiring crew and the Angelo State coaching staff, and once the dust settled it was freshman Steven Bonuz (Port Lavaca, Texas) who was awarded home by the crew chief for a 4-1 line score.

Redshirt junior Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) added another run with a liner dropped into left to plate redshirt senior Pablo Hernandez (Havana, Cuba) to cut the Ram lead in half at 4-2 going into the fifth.

The visitors got the runs back, and then some, in the top of the fifth after a bases-loaded walk to Parker Bramlett pushed the first run home, while a wild pitch brought the second across.

The third run of the frame came home courtesy of a fielder's choice RBI to second that set the score at 7-2 going into the sixth. Angelo State added the final run on an RBI single to right center from Jordan Williams to hand TAMUK a six-run deficit going into the last two at bats.

The Blue and Gold managed only one run in the bottom of the seventh in a final attempt to seize the momentum after redshirt senior Manny Loredo (McAllen, Texas) roped a double down the right field line, but the lone pitching change from the Rams squashed any remaining hope as the final batter grounded out to third for an 8-3 final.

Bonuz and junior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) each finished with a pair of hits, while Ullman and Loredo added the lone RBI of the contest.

Senior Joshua Valdez (Kyle, Texas) got the start on the hill and lasted through four innings, striking out three and allowed four runs, all earned, to take the decision.

GAME TWO

The backend started was more of the same for both sides as Angelo State struck first in the top of the third with a two-run single from Nic Novak. Three more runs came home in the fourth, one on a Javelina miscue, one on a triple from Bramlett and the final coming from a bounding-ball single from Jackson Hardy through the left side for a 5-0 ASU lead going into the bottom of the fourth.

The Hogs got two runs back in the bottom half of the frame, the first off a double down the left field line from redshirt freshman Matthew Stary (Houston, Texas) before a Ram miscue allowed him to come home later in the at bat.

Two more Javelina runs came across in the fifth after Spinn laced a triple into left center to plate redshirt senior Alex Gonzalez (Corpus Christi, Texas) to cut the deficit to two runs, while a sacrifice fly from sophomore Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) trimmed the score to 5-4 with only one out in the at bat.

TAMUK loaded the bases later in the stanza with two outs but a pitching change once again proved useful for the Rams as Josh Barnett foiled any plans for the hosts to regain the lead heading into the sixth.

ASU would tack on seven more before the contest was done, first with three in the sixth before pushing four home in the seventh, to stake a claim on the series at 12-4.

Gonzalez and Loredo were the lone Javelinas to post multiple hits with two each, while junior Zach Boyett (Robinson, Texas) suffered his first loss of 2019 after going four innings on the hill with three strikeouts and five runs allowed, three earned.

The Hogs will have one final chance to stave off the sweep as first pitch for game four is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. CT at Nolan Ryan Field.

Stay up-to-date with everything Javelina baseball at JavelinaAthletics.com, follow the program on Twitter @JavelinaBSB and see recent news on Facebook at /JavelinaBSB

-JAVELINAS-