SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program battled back for a late-game tie on the back end of Saturday's doubleheader to No. 1/14 Angelo State at Foster Field and 1st Community Credit Union Stadium, but couldn't salvage the split as the hosts came away with both halves of the twin bill at 9-2 and 6-5.

The Javelinas (25-18, 9-10 LSC) tallied three runs in the final two innings of game two, but the Rams (41-7, 21-2 LSC) endured in the bottom half of the seventh to secure both decisions.

GAME ONE

The Hogs opened up the scoring in the top of the second after junior Cameron Melcher (Kerrville, Texas) skied his second round-tripper of the year to straightaway center field for the early 1-0 lead.

The advantage was short lived, however, as ASU knotted the score at 1-1 with an RBI double from Nick Seginowich in the bottom of the third and took over the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a single from Nic Novak that brought in a pair and another run-scoring double from Seginowich for a 4-1 Ram lead.

TAMUK cut the deficit to two in the top of the sixth after junior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) ripped a RBI single into center, but five runs from the hosts ensured put the game out of reach at 9-2.

Spinn, alongside classmate Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) each finished with a pair of hits, while Melcher posted the lone extra-base knock.

Junior Zach Boyett (Robinson, Texas) took the loss after getting the hook in the fourth and finished with one strikeout to two earned runs.

GAME TWO

The Javelinas held the early lead again on the back end after Melcher came home on a groundball double play in the top of the second, while De Leon swiped home in the top of the third for a 2-0 gap.

The cushion evaporated in the third after a pair of home runs, coupled with a sacrifice fly, put ASU up 4-2 going into the fourth.

Josh Elvir set the score at 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth with a bases-loaded walk as TAMUK got back on the board in the top of the six with an RBI groundout from redshirt senior Tim Gleinser (Victoria, Texas) that capped classmate Pablo Hernandez (Havana, Cuba).

The Hogs got the two runs they needed in the top of the seventh courtesy of a Ram miscue after De Leon scored on a misplay on the infield single from redshirt senior Manny Loredo (McAllen, Texas), while Loredo scored later in the frame on a bounding-ball single from Melcher to flip the lineup card to the home half of the frame.

Unfortunately, ASU did not need extras after Parker Bramlett reached on the infield single with the bases loaded to bring the game to a close at 6-5.

Redshirt sophomore Will Arnold (Magnolia, Texas) was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate on the back end of the twin bill, while Melcher went 2-for-4 to round out the batting order.

Senior Eric Sandoz (Austin, Texas) got the start and gave way to classmate Joshua Valdez (Kyle, Texas) with two outs in the fourth. Valdez was given the decision after working through the next two innings unscathed before giving up the winning run in the seventh.

The series finale is set for a first pitch time of 1 p.m. at Foster Field on Sunday, April 28.

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