KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program heads out on the road this week for a three-game Lone Star Conference series against Lubbock Christian starting on Friday, March 19.
Game one is set for 6 p.m. CT at Hays Field on Friday, while game two will take place at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 20, followed by the series finale on Sunday, March 21 at 1 p.m. CT.
The Javelinas are riding a five-game win streak after opening their season with four straight series wins. TAMUK downed St. Mary's at home this past weekend with three games of varying theatrics.
Game one against the Rattlers was a 7-0 shutout in favor of the Hogs with junior Kolby Lunsford (Helotes, Texas) throwing six scoreless innings for his second win of the season. Five runs came across for the Blue and Gold in the bottom of the fifth in that contest before cruising to the decision.
Saturday's doubleheader against StMU featured five home runs across both games from the hosts and a walk-off win on the front end in extra innings. The Javelinas knotted the game at six apiece in the bottom of the eighth thanks to freshman Matthew Castro (Corpus Christi, Texas) who laced his second round-tripper of the season to left center. Junior Reid Baty (Laramie, Wyo.) became the hero in the bottom of the 11th with a double to left to tie the game yet again at seven while a bases-loaded walk issued to redshirt senior Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) put the Javelinas over the top.
The back end of the doubleheader featured a four-run bottom of the fifth to erase a 3-0 St. Mary's lead and two more home runs in the bottom of the eight gave TAMUK enough cushion to come away with a 7-6 win to complete the series sweep.
Coupled with the 9-3 record both overall and in LSC play, the Hogs feature senior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) pacing the group with a .400 clip at the plate on a team-high 20 hits, five doubles and 13 RBI. Right behind him is freshman Damian Rodriguez (McAllen, Texas) with a .348 average on 16 hits and a pair of home runs, while junior Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) and senior Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) round out the quartet with a .333 and .326 average, respectively.
Lunsford, who has yet to issue a walk in 21.2 innings pitched, has struck out 23 batters on the year for a 2-2 record and 2.08 ERA in four appearances, three of which were starts. Junior Logan Garza (Round Rock, Texas) leads the team with 31 strikeouts in 20.1 innings on the hill for a 1-0 mark and 4.43 ERA, while classmate Amado Almanzar (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) anchors the final spot in the starting rotation with a 1-1 record and 17 strikeouts in 16.2 innings thrown.
LCU moved to 6-9 on the year after taking two of three from Texas A&M International last week. The Chaps took game one, 7-4, in Laredo, Texas, before the Dustdevils responded in game two at 11-10, while LCU had the last laugh in game three at 19-6.
Luis Navarro leads the way at the plate with a .373 average on 19 hits, four doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI. He's just ahead of Eduardo Acosta who has a .344 clip on a team-best 22 hits and five home runs, with Colin Gordon bringing up the rear with a .328 clip behind 19 hits, seven doubles, two triples and three home runs.
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