AUSTIN, Texas – After dropping the first two games in the series against St. Edward's, the Javelinas responded in roaring fashion, taking control from the jump and never letting go in a 13-3 demolition of the Hilltoppers.
The Javelinas (1-2. LSC 1-2) and the Hilltoppers (2-1, LSC 2-1) will meet one more time tomorrow afternoon to decide the series.
TAMUK was never really threatened in the game where
Julius Rivas (1-0) earned credit for the win while Luke Negrete picks up the loss for SEU.
It took little time for the Hogs to get rolling as
Garrett Thompson got on base on the second at-bat of the game in the first inning, reaching first on a walk. Thompson reached second on a single by
Vincent Sanchez before being brought home thanks to a Hilltopper error on a hit by
MJ Rodriguez to make the score 1-0.
The next two innings would be scoreless before the Javelinas blew the game wide open in the top of the fourth. Starting the party for the squad,
Michael Cervantes reached first after being nailed by the pitch, then got himself in scoring position with a steal of second. He would not have to wait there long as
Kyle Perales immediately followed up with a double to right-center, bringing Cervantes home.
That was just the beginning for the Hogs. After Perales advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt,
Jake Chapman collected the RBI with a single up the middle before stealing second base himself. A walk on
Dalton Kramer and two singles by Sanchez and
Seth Brecheen brought home three more runs to make the score 6-0. Brecheen earned the RBI for bringing Chapman home and Sanchez collected two RBIs for scoring Kramer and Brecheen.
The Javelinas did not stop there though. Hits by Cervantes, Perales, and Chapman as well as help from sacrifice hits and two wild pitches brought home three more runs in the top of the fifth to comfortably extend the Hog lead to nine.
The Hilltoppers mustered some measure of response with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and a run in the sixth to bring the score to 9-3, but the Hogs quickly shut the door on the chances of a comeback, tacking on two more runs apiece in the seventh and ninth innings to secure the first win of the season, 13-3.
Perales led the squad with four RBIs on the day while Sanchez and Brecheen picked up two for themselves as well.
Perales and Sanchez additionally tied for most hits on the team with three, sharing the honor with Chapman as well.
The final game in the series is scheduled for Sunday, Feb.4 at 1 p.m.
