Kingsville - A pair of homers from
Cash Benavidez and
Cade Minus powered Texas A&M-Kingsville to split a double-header Saturday against UT Dallas from Nolan Ryan Field.
The duo would bat in all six of the Javelinas (22-19, 22-19 LSC) runs in a 6-3 victory against the Comets (29-12, 29-12 LSC), who took the first game in a 14-7 decision that went to extra innings. Saturday's second game marks the first time that the Javelians have defeated the Comets, as this is the first series the two teams have ever faced off against each other.
Game 1:
Starting from the waning innings of the contest, The Javelinas would find themselves in a 5-7 hole with four outs remaining in regulation with two aboard represented by
Braden Duff and
Cian Garza.
Nathan Gamez would get the call to pinch hit, and rocket one into right field that would be dropped by the Comet outfielder and drive in the runners to even up the game at seven apiece.Â
Neither team scored in the seventh as the contest headed into extra innings. UT Dallas exploded for a seven run top of the eighth that included a go-ahead grand slam and another solo HR to boot to put the contest out of reach for the Javelinas.
The offense would get contributions from some unlikely heroes.
Eric Martinez gave the Javelinas a small early lead in the bottom of the second with a two-RBI double into right center.
Fisher Davis then launched a no-doubt three-run home run over the left field wall to knot the game up in the four at five apiece. The efforts did keep the Javelinas in the contest, but were not enough to overcome the late surge by the Comets.
Game 2:
Game two began about as good as the Javelinas wanted, as three consecutive batters knocked hits including a triple from
Nick Reyes to increase his total to a tied-league-high five. Reyes would get brought home with an RBI-single from Minusas the Hogs took an early lead over the Comets.
The second inning would be where the Javelinas would do a majority of their damage, as a pair of singles by Duff and
Damian Carreon were cashed in by Benavidez's no-doubt blast over the left field wall to make it a 4-1 ballgame. Reyes would then reach via a walk before Minus sent one flying over the centerfield wall for the second homer of the inning and building the Hogs' lead to 6-1.
UT Dallas threatened, but were ultimately snuffed out by the hand of
Tyler Schumann, who earned his fifth win of the season by tossing 6.2 innings of three-run baseball to go with eight K's. Schumann now sits alone in second place in the LSC with 58 K's. The redshirt-sophomore could not finish his complete-game bid, as
James Placke was called from the bullpen to get one last out, offering a fly ball to centerfield that ended the game.
Texas A&M-Kingsville will look to even the series against UT Dallas from Nolan Ryan Field on Sunday. Fans of the Javelinas can watch the game on FloCollege of follow the action at JavelinaBSB on X.
