KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program returns to action this week with a three-game Lone Star Conference series against UT Tyler. Game one is set for Thursday, April 1, at Irwin Field with first pitch at 7 p.m. CT.
The Javelinas dropped their first series of the year but still managed to take the finale over No. 1 Angelo State this past weekend. The top-ranked Rams grabbed game one at 12-3 and followed up with a 7-3 decision in game two before the Hogs staved off the sweep in game three at 6-2.
Junior Kolby Lunsford (Helotes, Texas) took his third win of the season in the final contest against ASU and was rewarded by the league office with the LSC Pitcher of the Week honor. He finished with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched and allowed only one earned run while holding the Rams to their second-lowest scoring output of the year.
For the campaign, Lunsford is 3-2 with a 2.78 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched. He leads a Javelina pitching staff that has seen four saves from senior Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) who has collected a decision in five of his six appearances.
Junior Logan Garza (Round Rock, Texas) leads the rotation with 54 strikeouts in 32 innings on the bump, second-most in the LSC, while classmate Mason Foster (Dilley, Texas) has seen eight relief appearances and turned in a 1.59 ERA and eight strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched.
In the batter's box, senior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) leads the group with a .368 clip behind a team-high 28 hits, six doubles and 18 RBI. He also owns three triples and three home runs for a .645 slugging percentage and his 13 walks have led to a .467 on-base mark.
Freshman Damian Rodriguez (McAllen, Texas) and junior Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) have identical .333 batting averages to round out the top three hitters. Rodriguez has tallied 24 hits, one double, one triple, two home runs and 11 RBI, while Servin has collected 21 hits, two doubles, a team-high four home runs and 16 RBI.
The Patriots have spent most of the season in the NCBWA rankings and own a 16-7 overall record and 15-6 mark in league games. UTT has won its last three LSC series by taking two-of-three from UT Permian Basin, Cameron and Eastern New Mexico.
Riley Jepson leads the way with a .349 clip and 29 hits to go with five doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI. He is followed by Jordan Gochenour with a .341 average on 28 hits, six doubles, five home runs and 20 RBI, while Kyle McShaffry rounds out the trio with a .333 mark on 28 hits, five doubles, four round-trippers, and 18 RBI.
The pitching rotation features Jacob Blatney with six starts and a 3-0 record behind a 3.33 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 27 innings on the bump. Austin Schneider, Garret Arredondo and Johnnie Krawietz have all taken turns in the starting rotation with four starts apiece. Schneider leads the three with a 3.80 ERA and 2-1 record, followed by Arredondo's 5.79 ERA and 1-2 mark and Krawietz's 9.95 ERA and 2-2 record.
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