Kingsville - Texas A&M-Kingsville split its double-header games with St. Mary's University on Saturday at Nolan Ryan Field.
The Javelinas (19-10, 18-9 LSC) extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 5-1 victory over the Rattlers (15-10, 13-10 LSC), but could not reach 11 wins in a row, falling in a 6-3 game in the back half of Saturday's double header.
Ulises Quiroga (4-1) got the start in game one, going six innings with seven strikeouts while allowing seven hits and one earned run.
Gabriel LeBlanc (4-2) got the start in game two, going 5.1 innings with four strikeouts outs, but allowed seven hits and six runs to the Rattlers.
Game one of the double header began similarly to the first game of the series. Quiroga handled the first round of batters well before surrendering the game's first run in the second inning with a Rattler RBI single. The Javelinas answered right back, with
Maurice Martinez getting an RBI-single that brought Galvan Jr. home.Â
With the game at a 1-1 tie, the Hogs got to work making sure the Rattlers could not mount a comeback. It began with a
Jacob Cueva RBI that got
Nick Reyes home in the fourth, but really ballooned in the fifth with a two-RBI single from
Isaiah Aguilar and a Rattler passed ball that got Sanchez home.
Marco Martinez was called in to close the seventh inning and would get through the Rattler offense with just one walk and one hit to close out the first game of the double-header for the Javelinas.
Game two did not start how the Javelinas would have liked, with the Rattlers scoring three runs on three hits to secure an early lead. It would take the Hogs until the fourth inning to answer back after great pitching from LeBlanc, as Cueva got Sanchez home after back-to-back doubles got the Javelinas on the board.Â
In the fifth inning, the Javelinas got within just a single run thanks to a fielder's-choice RBI from Martinez that got
Fisher Davis home. The Rattlers would get the late run-support that they lacked in the first two games of the series however, scoring three runs in the sixth.
Needing to get some late-work done in the seventh, Texas A&M-Kingsville got straight to it.
Joshua Endo kicked it off with a single into left field, Reyes got Endo to second with a single of his own before Martinez got Endo home with a first-pitch RBI-single. Critically though, Martinez would get thrown out at second base trying to get an extra bag for the Hogs. That out would prove to be crucial as
Cian Garza could not get on base to keep the comeback alive.
Texas A&M-Kingsville looks to take the series win against St. Mary's on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CST. Fans of the Javelinas can watch on FloCollege or follow live coverage at JavelinaBSB on Twitter.
