Odessa, Tx - A wild top of the ninth powered Texas A&M-Kingsville over UT-Permain Basin, 16-8, Monday at Roden Field.
Facing a 6-8 deficit with just three outs left, the Javelinas (7-3, 7-3 LSC) used six hits and a pair of walks to score 10 runs to stun the Falcons (3-7, 3-7 LSC) and clinch their third series win of the season.
Elijia West's bat would be the one to start the scoring, rocketing a ball into left field for a two-RBI single that tied the game up at 8-8.
Four more Javelinas would notch RBI's in the inning, with
Landon Salinas' two-RBI single blowing open the floodgates and giving the Javelinas a four-run lead.
Joshua Endo,
Nick Reyes and
Easton Hewitt each knocked in at least one RBI during the ninth inning as well.
Zachary Wright was given the win in the Javelinas' comeback bout. The true freshman went four full innings with three strikeouts and just one walk to notch his first career win.
James Placke would get called to start Monday's contest, but was pulled after surrendering six runs through three innings.
Those six early runs would put the Javelinas in a familiar five-run hole, the same deficit they faced in game three of the series. Texas A&M-Kingsville began their battle back into the ballgame in the fifth inning, as Endo and
Braden Duff brought in a pair of runs that made the score 3-6 in favor of the Falcons.
The Javelinas would hold UTPB off the scoreboard in the sixth inning to remain in striking distance heading into the seventh. A fielder's choice scored
Joshua Prado to make it just a two-run contest before Salinas tied the game up with a two-RBI double in the top of the seventh. UTPB answered right back in the bottom of the frame however, as a two-run home run reestablished the lead for the Falcons heading into the final two innings.
Neither team woke up their bats in the eighth as the Javelinas headed into the top of the ninth with three outs to score two runs. In that inning, the Javelinas could simply do nothing wrong as they immediately loaded the bases and kept them loaded to score a season-high in runs for a single inning and steal the win away from UTPB.
Texas A&M-Kingsville returns back to the friendly confines of Nolan Ryan Field to take top-ranked UT-Tyler in a four game series beginning on Friday. Fans of the Javelias can watch the game on FloCollege or follow the action at JavelinaBSB on X.
