KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program turned in an all-around performance in the Lone Star Conference series opener against St. Mary's on Friday at Nolan Ryan Field for a 7-0 shutout.
The Javelinas (7-3, 7-3 LSC) got six scoreless innings on the hill from junior Kolby Lunsford (Helotes, Texas) and took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the third against the Rattlers (9-7, 7-6 LSC) before cruising to the decision.
Lunsford struck out three and scattered five hits over his six frames of work without issuing a walk or a run for his second win of the year. He gave way to classmate Tyler Henson (Abilene, Texas) in the seventh who blanked StMU for two innings with three strikeouts, while fellow upperclassman Mason Foster (Dilley, Texas) closed out the game with a zero on the board in the ninth.
Meanwhile, the Hog hitters jumped on Connor Schmidt early after reigning LSC Hitter of the Week senior Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) continued his tear with a double dropped into left center to plate freshman Damian Rodriguez (McAllen, Texas) for the game's first run in the bottom of the second. Buendia later scored in the same at bat after he moved up to third on an infield single from senior Cameron Melcher (Kerrville, Texas) and scored on a wild pitch.
TAMUK tacked on three more in the third after senior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) and sophomore Steven Bonuz (Port Lavaca, Texas) came home on another double to the left center gap by way of freshman Matthew Castro (Corpus Christi, Texas). Spinn roped a ground-rule double to left field with one out while Bonuz drew a walking leading into Castro's hit.
Castro ended up at home during the following at bat after Rodriguez poked a single to right for the five-run cushion heading into the fourth.
While the Hogs rallied, Lunsford worked himself out of a jam in the top of the second after Brandon Broughton doubled to the left-center gap with two outs for runners at second and third by way of a ground ball to Rodriguez from Shawn Tober to end the rally. He got some help in the top of the fourth with one out and a runner at first when Fernie Zubia ripped a line drive right at Melcher who caught it cleanly and stepped on the bag for the double play.
The visitors ended up with two more runners on in the top of the sixth in Lunsford's final stanza with one out, but a fly ball and a groundout to first squelched any hope to cut into the Javelinas' lead.
The sixth run came home in the bottom of the fifth for the hosts after Rodriguez reached on a fielder's choice ground ball to first as Broughton took the ball over to Jake Mares to initiate the double play. The throw back from Mares to Schmidt, who was covering the bag, was mishandled by the Rattler and skipped away to let Spinn come all the way around from second.
The final run from the Hogs came in the seventh after Bonuz skied a fly ball in foul territory down the left field line and was caught deep enough to let senior Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) score and to go in as a sacrifice fly.
The series between the Javelinas and the Rattlers closes out on Saturday, March 13, in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. CT at Nolan Ryan Field
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