LAREDO, Texas - A three-run shot to left field in the top of the eighth from junior Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) was the decisive moment for the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program on Monday at Jorge Haynes Field in securing an 8-5 win over Texas A&M International in the Lone Star Conference matchup.

"I'm proud of the team for being able to win a series on the road after losing the first game," said head coach Jason Gonzales. "They showed a lot of toughness to overcome two different deficits today."

Servin's round-tripper was the third of the series for the junior that flipped a 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 lead for the Javelinas (2-1, 2-1 LSC) while securing the LSC series win over the Dustdevils (3-6, 3-6 LSC). It came at a critical juncture for TAMUK with one out in the top of the eighth and runners at the corners.

The game was in TAMIU's grasp before that, however, with the hosts leading 3-0 after the first following back-to-back doubles from Jerry Villareal and Ronnie Bailey. The visitors got on the board in the top of the third after senior Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) bounced a single back up the middle to score freshman Damian Rodriguez (McAllen, Texas) and redshirt sophomore Matthew Stary (Houston, Texas), while an RBI single from senior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) evened the count at three apiece one at bat later.

The Dustdevils took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh after Philip Sanchez sent a triple to center field for the first run and crossed the plate later in the frame with Villareal on a single to right center from Bailey.

The stage was set for Servin in the next half-inning, though, when De Leon drew a leadoff walk and Spinn reached on a fielder's choice grounder to the shortstop. Servin let the first pitch go by before he took the second offering from Isaac Chavarria over the left field wall.

TAMUK got some insurance runs later in the stanza after Rodriguez and freshman Matthew Castro (Corpus Christi, Texas) occupied second and third with one out during Stary's at bat. Stary reached on a Dustdevil miscue after his fly ball to right was dropped and allowed the two Javelinas to score for an 8-5 cushion.

The three-run lead held up the rest of the way as senior Alex Canul (Edinburg, Texas) threw a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts while classmate Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) ended up with his first career save after pitching a scoreless ninth.

Junior Tyler Flores (San Antonio, Texas) started the game on the hill but was sent off after three innings to give way for classmate Tyler Henson (Abilene, Texas).

Henson was given the hook after three scoreless innings for another junior in John Mike Rodriguez (Corpus Christi, Texas) in the seventh, while sophomore Matthew Sesler (Harlingen, Texas) took over with one out in the frame and took his first win of the season after getting a groundball double play to end the inning.

The Javelinas return to action at home this week with a three-game set against UAFS starting Friday, February 26, at Nolan Ryan Field.

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