SAN ANGELO, Texas – Sophomore Jake Chapman (Boerne, Texas) homered twice and drove in seven runs and the fourth-seeded Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team erased a six-run deficit to earn an 18-15 triumph over the fifth-seeded MSU-Denver Roadrunners in the first game of the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament on Thursday at Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium in San Angelo, Texas.
This victory send the Javelinas through to Friday's first game, which will be played at 2:30 p.m. against either the Roadrunners or the top-seeded Angelo State Rams.
"A tough game against a really tough opponent," said coach Jason Gonzales. "We knew those guys were going to be really offensive and we were going to have to score some runs. I was proud of the way our guys responded. At this point, we're just trying to survive and advance to the next round."
The Javs wasted no time breaking the ice in the bottom of the first, when, with two outs, sophomore Nick Wolff (Klein, Texas) doubled and Chapman followed by smashing his first dinger of the day over the wall in center. After a walk and double, senior Kyler Bumstead (Kountze, Texas) ripped a two-run two-bagger into right-center for a 4-0 first-inning edge.
That lead did not last long, as the Roadrunners belted four homers in a 10-run top of the second to jump in front by six, the but Hogs immediately shaved two runs off that deficit in their half of the second, courtesy of a run-scoring double by Wolff, who also scored two batters later on a Shelby Becker (Giddings, Texas) infield hit.
The Roadrunner lead completely melted away in the third, as two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases and when Wolff was plunked, it forced in TAMUK's seventh run. Chapman then lined a two-run knock into right and the tying run came home on a Becker safety to make the score 10-10.
Two more long balls put MSU back in front in the top of the fourth by a 13-10 margin, but that advantage quickly dissolved as well. Freshman Ramsey Amador (Edinburg, Texas) started the bottom of frame with a solo shot to center and it was followed by an error and a hit to put two on for Wolff, who added one more to his RBI total by doubling into the gap in left-center. The two runs that gave the Hogs the lead scored on a bouncer that Chapman sent through the middle to make the score 14-13.
The trio of senior Brandon Symmank (Round Rock, Texas), junior Luis Martinez (Grulla, Texas) and senior Logan Garza (Round Rock, Texas) kept TAMUK's slim lead intact, combining for three straight scoreless innings before the Hogs added insurance.
The runs that widened TAMUK's lead came in the seventh, courtesy of an Ivan Duarte (Juarez, Mexico) RBI triple and a two-run Matthew Castro (Corpus Christi, Texas) single two batters later. When the Roadrunners crept within two in the top of the eighth, Chapman answered with his second jack in bottom half. Garza sealed the deal in the ninth with three straight strikeouts.
Be sure to check Javelinaathletics.com for updates throughout the Hogs' NCAA Tournament run, 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 @JavelinaBSB, and see recent news on Facebook at /JavelinaBSB.
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