CANYON, Texas - An early 6-0 lead for the No. 22 Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program was methodically erased on Friday at Wilder Park as West Texas A&M chipped away at the score and eventually won in walk-off fashion to claim the first game of the Lone Star Conference weekend series.

The Javelinas (9-2, 9-2 LSC) got a pair of home runs in the second inning and followed up with a bases-loaded showing in the third for the cushion, but the Buffs (9-2, 9-2 LSC) cut the lead to two in the sixth and tacked on three runs in the final two at-bats to take the decision.

Redshirt sophomore Matthew Stary (Houston, Texas) started the scoring for the Hogs as he lifted a two-run shot to centerfield for a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, his first home run of the year. Redshirt junior Hayden Fails (Sweeny, Texas) matched the feat with a solo shot to left center later in the frame for a 3-0 lead going into the bottom half of the frame, his first home run in three seasons in Kingsville.

TAMUK loaded up the bases with one out in the top of the third and it was Stary again who started the rally. He bounced a single through the left half of the diamond to plate senior Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) for the first run, while a passed ball brought in junior Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) for the second run.

An RBI groundout from senior Cameron Melcher (Kerrville, Texas) posted the third run of the rally as sophomore Steven Bonuz (Port Lavaca, Texas) crossed home for a 6-0 lead favoring the visitors heading into the fourth.

On the mound for the Hogs was junior Tyler Flores (San Antonio, Texas) who got the start and worked through three scoreless innings before Kyle Moos skied a solo shot to left in the bottom of the fourth to get the hosts on the board. WT posted two more in the fifth after Keone Givens skied a sacrifice fly to right that brought in Tanner Schuetz while a Javelina miscue allowed Brendon Woelfle to score on the same play.

Flores ended up working out of the sixth despite the Buffs cutting the score to 6-4 following another Hog miscue that resulted in a run as he took the no-decision with two strikeouts and six hits allowed.

After a scoreless seventh, an RBI single to left center in the eighth from Moos set the stage for the ninth as TAMUK faced a 6-5 lead with one final at-bat. It eventually came down to two outs with the bases loaded before Cade Engle dropped a liner into right to push the two runs needed as the Javelinas took the loss at 7-6.

Stary was the lone Hog to finish with multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run. Fails ended up going 1-for-3 with a walk in addition to his roundtripper.

The Javelinas look to rebound in Saturday's doubleheader with first pitch set for 4 p.m. CT at Wilder Park.

Watch your Javelinas live on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy. 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

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