KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball program begins postseason play this week with a best-of-three series against Lubbock Christian for the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Baseball Championships.
Game one is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, May 14, at Nolan Ryan Field and will be carried on the Javelina Sports Network presented by Mendoza's Pharmacy. The second game of the series takes place on Saturday, May 15, starting at 1 p.m., with game three beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of game two, if necessary.
The Hogs finished their regular season with a series win over Cameron on the road last week to improve to 20-10 overall and 19-10 in league contests. The first game was a wild, 10-inning affair with 34 combined runs and 33 combined hits as the Aggies were tabbed with eight errors in the contest.
The decisive moment in the first game came in extra innings when senior Aldo Buendia (Laredo, Texas) ripped a solo shot to left field in the top of the 10th that eventually led to the victory. He also ended up with the win as he pitched the final two frames and picked up four strikeouts for his second win of the year.
Game two was a more traditional matchup with CU picking up a 14-8 win despite redshirt junior Will Arnold (Magnolia, Texas) going 3-for-4 from the plate with one double and two RBI. The rubber match in the series finale went in favor of the Blue and Gold at 13-4 as TAMUK used a six-run rally in the fifth inning to sprint away with the decision and got four hits from sophomore Steven Bonuz (Port Lavaca, Texas) who made his return to the lineup for the second time since March 20.
Senior Seth Spinn (Holland, Texas) leads the pack with a .351 clip following the regular season. His team-leading 40 hits are supplemented by six doubles, five triples and three home runs along with 25 RBI, 25 walks and nine stolen bases.
Freshman Garrett Thompson (New Braunfels, Texas) is right behind with a .342 average behind 25 hits, five doubles and eight RBI along with a team-best 14 stolen bases. Junior Giancarlo Servin (Edinburg, Texas) rounds out the trio with a .337 batting average behind 31 hits, three doubles and four home runs along with 27 RBI.
Freshman Damian Rodriguez (McAllen, Texas) is the final Javelina batting in the 300s with an even .300 mark on 36 hits, three doubles, one triple and two round-trippers.
The Javelina pitching staff is anchored by juniors Logan Garza (Round Rock, Texas) and Kolby Lunsford (Helotes, Texas) as the two have picked up three wins each on the year with nine starts. Garza is throwing a 4.58 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched while Lunsford owns a 4.62 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 48.2 innings on the hill.
Buendia has remained the go-to out of the pen with a team-best 2.13 ERA with at least six appearances on the mound. He owns four saves and two wins along with 16 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched. Junior Mason Foster (Dilley, Texas) is right behind him with a 3.44 ERA and a 3-1 record in 14 relief appearances alongside 16 strikeouts in 18.1 innings pitched.
LCU finished the campaign with a 19-21 overall record and 17-19 mark in LSC contests for the sixth seed in the bracket. The final series of the regular season saw the Chaps take two of three from Oklahoma Christian at home, including a 23-13 drubbing of the Eagles in game two on May 8.
Five separate members of LCU's roster are hitting over .320 with at least 29 appearances in 2021, with Luis Navarro leading the group on a blistering .405 clip with 62 hits, 10 doubles, one triple and eight home runs. He also picked up 39 RBI, drew 30 walks and has scored 45 runs in his 39 starts.
Eduardo Acosta is second on the team with a .385 clip in 32 starts behind 55 hits, nine doubles, six triples, five home runs and 29 RBI. George Mendazona is the final Chap with a batting average over .350 as he is hitting .364 with 47 hits, 12 doubles, five home runs and 31 RBI.
The final two LCU hitters with a .300 clip include Larry Leitha at .344 with 33 hits and a team-high 10 home runs, followed by Edgar Hernandez with a .326 rate on 29 hits, six doubles, one triple and two home runs.
The Chap pitching staff features Cade Acrey with 15 relief appearances for two saves, a 3-2 record and a 2.95 ERA in 36.2 innings pitched along with 34 strikeouts. The starting rotation includes Armando Valle who has made 13 starts for a 3-5 record and 6.14 ERA. His team-best 85 strikeouts have come across 66 innings pitched and has allowed 69 hits for a .268 batting average.
The other Chap to start at least 10 games is Shandon Herrera who leads the team with a 6-2 record through 11 starts. He features a 6.70 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched and has allowed 53 hits for a .298 opponent batting average.
The Javelinas are eyeing their sixth South Central Regional appearance under the guidance of Jason Gonzales. The Hogs last made the national tournament in 2018 and clinched their first-ever South Central Regional Championship and Division II Championship appearance in program history in a thrilling run that featured a record-tying 42 wins in program history.
The most recent regional consideration from the NCAA has TAMUK as one of six teams under consideration for the bracket. Other teams in consideration for postseason play include Angelo State and West Texas A&M from the LSC, along with Colorado Mesa, UC Colorado Springs and MSU Denver from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
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