Kingsville - Texas A&M-Kingsville powered eight extra-base hits to go with 17 total hits to down No. 21 St. Edward's University, 11-6, Thursday at Nolan Ryan Field.
Matching a season-high in hits, the Javelinas (24-19, 23-18 LSC) got a much-needed win against the nationally ranked Hilltoppers (31-16, 30-15 LSC) to keep themselves in the Lone Star Conference tournament race. Six different Hogs notched an extra base hit, awakening a long-dormant power that the Javelinas have been waiting for all season.
The first inning saw the offense keep its momentum after the Javelinas' bye week, plating three runs thanks to an RBI from
Isaiah Aguilar and a two-RBI single from
Nick Reyes. SEU knotted the game up in the second and third however thanks to a solo homerun and a two-RBI single.Â
After
Sergio Galvan Jr.'s RBI retook the lead in the bottom of the third, the power of the Javelinas was unleashed on the Hilltoppers. An RBI-triple from
Maurice Martinez and a two-run moonshot from
Easton Hewitt blew the game wide open in the fourth. The hogs were not done however, as a pair of doubles from Galvan and
Joshua Endo brought in two more runs to make it a 9-3 lead for the Javelinas.Â
On the other side of the ball, it was
Daniel Cardona who put on a pitching show for the hogs. The junior from San Antonio, Texas, pumped out five innings of work, striking out five batters while surrendering a pair of hits on his way to his second win of the season.
The Javelinas were not finished tacking on runs however, as a SAC-RBI from Martinez got Galvan home for run number 10 of the ballgame. Hewitt would then send one deep into the right-field warning track for an RBI-triple to get 11 runs on the board for the Hogs in the bottom of the seventh.
A desperate rally from St. Edward's in the ninth made it interesting, plating three runs and loading the bases with two outs. However,
Jessie Moreno would be called up from the bullpen to get the last out. Moreno's pitch led to a ground-ball that was sent directly Hewitt's way for an easy force out that secured the win for the Hogs.
Games two and three against the Hilltoppers is set for a 2:00 pm first pitch from Nolan Ryan Field. Fans of the Javelinas can watch live on FloCollege or follow the game at JavelinaBSB on Twitter.
