KINGSVILLE, Texas- Riding an eight-game win streak and receiving votes nationally, the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team will visit the St. Mary's Rattlers for four games of Lone Star Conference action at Dickson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, now beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. rather than as originally scheduled on Friday.
The series was initially scheduled to begin on Friday at 6 p.m. However, due to weather, it's been pushed back a day, meaning the teams will face off in a nine-inning contest Saturday at 3 p.m., before a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, with the series finale slated for Monday at 1 p.m.
The Javelinas (14-4, 12-4 LSC) take on the Rattlers (5-13, 3-13 LSC), with TAMUK entering the contest boasting the lowest earned runs average in the conference following a five-win week that featured two shutouts. Additionally, the team's 3.53 ERA serves as the 25th best in the nation. The Hogs have three shutouts on the year, a total that ranks sixth in Division II, with their 1.19 WHIP sitting 11th.
The Javs allowed just four runs in their last five contests, as the team bested Texas A&M-International in an 8-0 nonconference win with nine different Blue and Gold members taking the mound.
From there, the Javelinas swept the Oklahoma Christian Eagles with senior
Kolby Lunsford (Helotes, Texas) and sophomore
Hunter Kloesel (Shiner, Texas) combining to throw a shutout in an 8-0 win. Lunsford struck out seven, while senior
Kyler Bumstead (Kountze, Texas) paced the Pack at the plate, logging two RBIs on a triple and a single.
The Javs then took two in a Saturday doubleheader, winning game one 5-1, before claiming the second game 4-2. Sophomore
Kobe Jaramillo (Bishop, Texas) punched out seven in five innings on the bump to earn a win in the first game, before senior
Logan Garza (Round Rock, Texas) sent seven hitters packing in six innings, toeing the slab for a game two victory. Sophomore
Nick Wolff (Klien, Texas) was phenomenal on the day, going 4-6, and scoring three runs for the Pack.
In-game four, the Eagles managed just two hits against redshirt senior
Brandon Symmank (Cypress, Texas), who earned an 8-1 victory with nine strikeouts. Sophomore
Shelby Becker (Giddings, Texas) logged three RBIs in the contest, with classmate
Garrett Thompson (New Braunfels, Texas) and Bumstead each managing two.
The Rattlers, meanwhile, dropped three in a four-game slate with TAMIU last week, and have had a rough start to the 2022 season despite logging a pair of wins over #3 Central Missouri and #19 Arkansas Tech at the Houston Winter Invitational.
StMU leads the league in double plays per game, averaging 0.89 each time out, while their 12 total twin-killings sit 12th nationally.
Adrian Gonzales leads the Rattlers in ERA, as the fight-handed pitcher holds a 1.35 average in four appearances out of the bullpen. StMU has had five different hurlers start games this season, but nobody has more strikeouts than Connor Schmidt, whose punched out 22. Additionally, he's recorded two saves, a tally that sits fourth in the LSC. The league's leader in that category is sophomore
Colton Taylor (Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada), whose four saves sit fourth on the national leader board.
At the plate, the Rattlers have four hitters boasting an average over the .300 threshold, including Rudy Soliz, whose .366 average comes as a result of 15 hits and eight RBIs. Teammate Jake Mares excels at getting on base for StMU with a .884 OPS aided by 15 hits and 15 walks.
Be sure to check Javelinaathletics.com for updates throughout the weekend, including a recap at the conclusion of each day. Watch your Javelinas live on the
Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy. Stay up-to-date with everything Javelina baseball at
JavelinaAthletics.com, follow the program on Twitter
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