TYLER, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program owned a 3-1 lead over No. 24 UT Tyler in Saturday's rubber match at Irwin Field but ended up on the back end of a 4-3 decision in the Lone Star Conference series finale.
The Javelinas (14-8, 13-8 LSC) surrendered three runs in a decisive eighth inning and suffered only their second league series loss of the season at the hands of the Patriots (18-8, 17-7 LSC).
Junior Kolby Lunsford (Helotes, Texas), the reigning LSC Pitcher of the Week, started on the hill for the Hogs and worked out of an early jam with minimal damage. The hosts connected for three hits to lead off the bottom of the first for the game's first run before Lunsford retired the next three hitters to end the frame.
The Galveston College product settled in from there and permitted only three base runners over the next four innings. His final line went in as five innings pitched, five hits allowed and one earned run for the no-decision.
TAMUK got the run back in the top of the second after senior Austin De Leon (Frisco, Texas) led off with a walk. He moved up to second on a miscue off a groundball from classmate Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) and later scored on a single down the left field line from newcomer Garrett Thompson (New Braunfels, Texas).
The Javelinas extended their lead to two runs in the top of the fifth when Thompson led the stanza off with a single to right center. He moved up to second on a walk issued to junior Reid Baty (Laramie, Wyo.) and ended up at third on a fly ball to right from senior Cameron Melcher (Kerrville, Texas).
After a hit-by-pitch issued to redshirt senior Kohl Ullman (Houston, Texas) loaded the bases, a fielder's choice grounder from freshman Damian Rodriguez (McAllen, Texas) gave Thompson enough time to score for the 2-1 advantage.
Junior Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) extended the lead for the visitors after he bounced a single back up the middle to plate Baty for a 3-1 cushion heading into the home half of the frame.
Junior Mason Foster (Dilley, Texas) took over for Lunsford in the sixth and retired the first seven batters he faced before Kyler Bumstead broke through with a one-out single in the eighth and later advanced to second on a grounder back to the pitcher's mound.
A pair of walks loaded the bases for the hosts, prompting the pitching change to Buendia, but a hit-by-pitch unceremoniously started the UTT rally for a 3-2 score, while a pinch-hit, two-run single from Ethan Bedgood put the Patriots up for good.
The Hogs got the tying run aboard in the top of the ninth with two outs but a quick throw down on the stolen base attempt squelched any hope for a comeback.
The Javelinas have a two-week hiatus and return to action at home on April 16 for the first of three games against St. Edward's at Nolan Ryan Field.
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