KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program took its second Lone Star Conference series win of the 2019 season after defeating Tarleton in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, but came up short of the four-game sweep as the visitors claimed the second game.

"I was proud of the team to get three out of four," said head coach Jason Gonzales, "but like we told them after the game, we have to elevate our level of play. If we have a chance to sweep somebody at home then we need to get that done.

"Doesn't mean much now so we have to move on and get ready for the next weekend."

The Javelinas (23-13, 7-5 LSC) grabbed an 11-5 win in game three claim the series, but the Texans (12-22, 2-6 LSC) staved off the sweep with a 4-0 decision in game four.

GAME ONE

The Hogs led wire-to-wire in the first game of the day as a bases-loaded walk to junior Cameron Melcher (Kerrville, Texas) brought the first run home in the bottom of the opening inning. An RBI groundout from freshman Steven Bonuz (Port Lavaca, Texas) brought the second run in before junior Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) doubled the lead in the second with a two-run jack to right center.

TSU cut the lead in half in the top of the third with a two-run double to right center from Jon Law, but the Javelinas rebuilt the cushion to four runs as senior Dylan Hutcheson (Wichita Falls, Texas) scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half of the frame before redshirt junior Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) came home on an muffed throw by the first basemen for a 6-2 lead going into the fourth.

The score held firm over the next few innings as senior Joshua Valdez (Kyle, Texas) worked through the sixth before getting the hook for redshirt junior Alex Canul (Edinburg, Texas) with two outs in the seventh. Valdez took his fifth win of the year after striking out seven despite Tarleton posting five runs on his line score.

TAMUK posted three more in the sixth with an RBI single from Melcher, a double from Bonuz and a liner from redshirt senior Pablo Hernandez (Havana, Cuba) for a 9-2 advantage heading into the seventh. TSU chased Valdez in the following at bat after pushing three runs across to cut the deficit back to 9-5.

A solo shot from redshirt senior Tim Gleinser (Victoria, Texas) and a Texan miscue brought in the final two runs as the score was finalized at 11-5.

Sophomore Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) posted his second three-hit game of the series after going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. De Leon, Melcher and Bonuz each tacked on two to TAMUK's total, with Gleinser and De Leon providing the long ball.

Canul gave way to redshirt senior Garrett Alexander (Spring, Texas) in the eighth as the righty from Blinn College threw two scoreless innings to secure the win.

GAME TWO

The luck ran out for the Javelinas on the back end of the twin bill with TSU starter Connor Flanagan throwing five and 1/3 scoreless innings before Zach Svensson preserved the shutout with one and 2/3 innings pitched. Law complete the combined shutout with two scoreless innings, striking out three Hogs during his time on the mound.

TAMUK was held to five hits in the contest, with all coming in as singles. The Blue and Gold had plenty of opportunities to crack the egg but ran into a slew of problems throughout the night as the first chance in the bottom of the second with two on and one out was easily squelched by Flanagan.

The Javelinas left two runners on in the third and three in the fifth with the latter opportunity coming with bases loaded and two outs. Runners were also stranded the rest of the way as the trio of Texan hurlers stymied the potent Blue and Gold lineup.

Meanwhile, TSU posted a run in the third with a fielder's choice error on a ground ball back to the pitcher, as the throw to second with two runners on sailed wide of the mark.

Tarleton tallied two more in the fifth with a double from Tyler Parker and a single from Jake Spence, while Colby Seltzer's sacrifice fly in the ninth went in as the final run.

Sophomore Tyler Flores (San Antonio, Texas) took the loss as he was pulled in the fifth and finished with four and 2/3 innings pitched with six strikeouts. Senior Eric Sandoz (Austin, Texas) took the reins and went three and 2/3 innings on the hill before Alexander closed out the ninth.

The Hogs will hit the road next week to take on UT Permian Basin for a four-game set. Game one is scheduled for Friday, April 12, in Odessa, Texas.

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-