Box Score PORTALES, N.M. – The Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team was on the back foot early in game three against the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds, but responded in a big way, coming up huge in the sixth and eighth innings to earn the win in eight innings, 16-6.
The Javelinas (5-7, LSC 4-7) win their second in a row and secure at least a split of the series - their first this year. The Greyhounds (5-6, LSC 5-6) will look to bounce back tomorrow and split their third series of the season.
ENMU got on the board first and early, looking to be the ones to try to run away with it after plating four runs in the first two innings. Coming off a three-run comeback victory the night before, the Javelinas were not deterred, scoring three runs of their own in the third to cut the lead to one.
Michael Cervantes got the scoring started for the Hogs, whacking a double to left field to secure two RBIs, bringing home
Jacob Rosales and
Garrett Thompson for the first points of many on the afternoon. Cervantes reached home himself on the next batter thanks to a field error off a
Kyle Perales hit, bringing the score to 3-4.
The Hogs took the lead two innings later with two runs in the fifth, though the Greyhounds responded with a run of their own to bring the score to 5-5 heading into the sixth. Perales and
Dalton Kramer both picked up RBIs off walks after TAMUK loaded the bases on the first the batters, but ENMU managed to get out of the jam without any more damage.
The sixth inning, however, was a different story. Four hits in the first four batters brought home two runs to get the inning started as Cervantes picked up his third RBI of the afternoon to score
Ramsey Amador with
Jake Chapman in close pursuit to home off another fielding error by ENMU.
MJ Rodriguez kept the party going for the Hogs, racking up three RBIs on a single hit thanks to a double to left center following a Perales walk that loaded the bases. Finally, Kramer grabbed another RBI for his afternoon total on a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Rodriguez home, making it six runs in the sixth inning for the Javelinas as the score now stood at 11-5.
After holding TAMUK scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Greyhounds mustered one run in the bottom of the inning to keep them game at least somewhat in reach, but the Javelinas quickly responded once again to put those dreams to bed.
Five more runs crossed the plate for the Javelinas in the eighth as Thompson and Amador picked up two more RBIs while Chapman grabbed one as well. The runs put the game out of reached as it was called after a scoreless bottom of the inning for ENMU, giving the Hogs the win, 16-6.
Brian Buchanan (2-0) picks up his second win of the season while Maddux Edmonson is credited with the loss for the Greyhounds.
The Javelinas and the Greyhounds clash one more time Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. CT as the Hogs look to secure their first series win of the year.
