CANYON, Texas- Junior Matthew Castro used a big fly late in the game to propel the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team to a 9-5 victory over No. 17 West Texas A&M to open a Lone Star Conference Series at Wilder Park on Friday.

The No. RV Javelinas (1-4, 1-4 LSC) took down the No. 17 Buffaloes (4-1, 4-1 LSC) to pick up their first victory of the season, as five Javelinas drove in runs while junior Cole Payne (1-0) picked up the first win of his Blue and Gold career. 

Payne fanned three and scattered two hits across the game's final 3.1 innings, keeping the Buffs off the scoreboard to secure the win. Payne took the ball off classmate Kobe Jaramillo who recovered after a rocky first inning, striking out a pair and tossing four scoreless frames for the Hogs. 

At the plate, Castro went deep, plating the tying and go-ahead runs, as sophomore Dalton Kramer and redshirt sophomore Ramsey Amador each logged two RBIs. Additionally, Amador, Kramer, junior Nick Wolff, senior Steven Bonuz, and redshirt junior Ivan Duarte all posted multiple hits in the win. 

Becker opened up the top of the first with a leadoff double and advanced to third on a sharply hit ball by Wolff. Becker then charged home on an Amador grounder delivering a 1-0 Javelina lead. 

The Buffs scored four in the bottom of the frame for a 4-1 score line ahead of a two-run second inning that brought TAMUK within one. 

A leadoff single by Kramer and a Duarte base hit put runners on for Wolff and Amador, who each slapped singles to put a crooked number on the scoreboard. Jaramillo then tossed a three-up, three-down bottom half for a 4-3 score entering the third.

Wolff walked, and Amador singled to open the top of the fifth, putting Bonuz at the plate with a runner in scoring position. The senior then laced a single through the left side, knotting the contest at four. Chapman was plunked loading up the bases with no outs, but back-to-back strikeouts and a pop-up ended the Blue and Gold threat. 

Shortly after, in the bottom of the fifth, WT worked consecutive walks before scoring a run on a base knock through the right side. Payne then entered to pitch for the Javelinas working a strikeout and stranding runners on the corners with the Buffs leading 5-4.

Back-to-back walks by junior Garrett Thompson and Kramer in the top of the seventh brought up Castro, who went yard for the first time since 2021, delivering a 7-5 Javelina lead.

The Pack added two more in the eighth, with a Bonuz single kick-starting a two-out rally. Redshirt sophomore Jaden Cavazos slapped a single, and a WT miscue allowed Thompson to reach first, loading the bases. Kramer then dropped a double into the left-center gap plating two, and extended the Javelina lead to four. 

Payne tossed a clean eighth before returning to the bump for the bottom of the ninth, where he stranded Cameron Loy after a leadoff double, securing a 9-5 victory for the Javelinas. 

The Javelinas and Buffs will meet again Saturday, with a 1 p.m. doubleheader, ahead of the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. inside Wilder Park. 

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