KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program dropped the Lone Star Conference series opener on Friday at Nolan Ryan Field to St. Edward's by a count of 8-6 to begin the fifth week of play.

The Javelinas (9-6, 9-6 LSC) held an early 5-1 lead over the Hilltoppers (8-7, 8-7 LSC), but a crucial three-run home run in the fifth turned the tides and handed the hosts the loss in the first of four games on the weekend.

"I didn't like the way we competed on the mound or at the plate," said head coach Jason Gonzales. "At some point in time we have to get tired of losing, and come out and play with a bit more intensity.

"We have to put a stop to it and hopefully we can learn from this, come back tomorrow and be ready to go."

SEU got an early lead as Jacob Vasquez lifted the first pitch of the game from junior Tyler Flores (San Antonio, Texas) over the center field wall for a 1-0 edge.

The Hogs did the majority of their damage in the bottom of the second as sophomore Steven Bonuz (Port Lavaca, Texas) started the rally with double dropped into right center and ended up at third after a Hilltopper miscue on the throw back into the infield.

After a hit batter, Bonuz came home on the second error of the frame as senior Cameron Melcher (Kerrville, Texas) reached on a misplay from his grounder to second base. The bases ended up loaded by another hit batter and the third errant play of the stanza plated redshirt junior Will Arnold (Magnolia, Texas) to put the Javelinas ahead.

Senior Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) hit a hard grounder out to the third baseman who elected to take the play at the plate, but the off-target throw pulled Hunter Torrez away from the plate for the run to score.

The lead grew after redshirt senior Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) was plunked on the first pitch of his at-bat, while a grounder to second base from classmate Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) capped redshirt junior Hayden Fails (Sweeny, Texas) for a 4-1 lead.

The final run of the rally came courtesy of a sacrifice fly to center field from senior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) that gave the Hogs a 5-1 cushion going into the third.

St. Edward's trimmed the lead down to one in the top half of the third inning, first with the bases loaded and Dante Gutierrez getting tagged on the 2-2 count as one of four hit batters given out by the hosts. A two-run double down the left field line from Ty Markee all but erased the lead for the Hogs at 5-4, while the three-run shot from Zach Phelps in the top of the fifth removed it entirely as he took the 1-2 pitch down the left field line for a 7-5 advantage favoring the Hilltoppers.

TAMUK got one run back in the home half of the fifth after Melcher reached on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to cut the gap down to one, but SEU got the run back in the eighth after Gutierrez dropped a single into left after fighting off three pitches on an 0-2 count for the 8-6 score, which was finalized shortly after.

Flores suffered his first loss of the season after getting the hook with two outs in the top of the fifth. The Hilltoppers' AG Ayala, meanwhile, took his first win after relieving starter Jack Granack with one out in the bottom of the fifth, while Vasquez started the game in center field, came in to pitch with one out in the bottom of the eighth and proceeded to throw a scoreless 1.2 innings on the bump for his second save.

Melcher finished with two RBI for the Hogs, while De Leon and Bonuz both added doubles on the evening.

Saturday's doubleheader between the two squads is set for first pitch at 2 p.m. at Nolan Ryan Field.

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-JAVELINAS-