The Javelina baseball team outscored the Oklahoma Christian Eagles, 31-19, over the course of their three-game, three-win, Lone Star Conference (LSC) series at Nolan Ryan Field over the weekend.
In a post-game interview, Head Coach Jason Gonzalez assured Javelina Athletics that three-game sweeps are far and few between because of stout competition in the LSC.
“Those opportunities don’t come around too often,” Gonzalez said. “When you have that opportunity, and you’re at home, you have to do everything you can because this is a very tough league.”
Opening weekend’s first game saw the Javelina’s take the 3-1 victory Friday night. Frisco-native Austin De Leon paved the way offensively, picking up three hits, including a double and triple. Teammates Mathew Stary and Damian Rodriguez bolstered De Leon’s efforts, adding hits of their own. Junior transfer John Mike Rodriguez received the start on the bump, but sophomore southpaw Mathew Sesler would get the win. Teammate Chase Glover was called on to close out the final inning and received his first save as a Javelina.
A decisive 15-8 victory on Saturday clinched the series victory for TAMUK.
“I liked the way the hitters continued to apply pressure. We scored in six out of the eight innings and any time you’re putting up runs in almost every inning it makes it tough on the other team,” Gonzalez said.
Sophomore catcher Steven Bonuz hit the first Javelina dinger of 2020 in the bottom of the fifth. De Leon, Seth Spinn and Bonuz picked up a pair of hits a-piece to lead TAMUK at the plate. Six pitchers would climb the bump for the Blue and Gold, but it was redshirt sophomore Jacob Vasquez that would pick up the win. Amado Almanzar got the start and fanned six in just over four innings.
Thirteen runs on 14 hits proved to be enough for TAMUK to complete the sweep with a 13-10 victory on Sunday.
Hayden Fails led the Blue and Gold at the plate, going 3-for-4 and knocking in three runs. Spinn and senior Cameron Melcher added two hits a-piece and De Leon picked up one of his own.
In an interview with Javelina Athletics, Fails attributed TAMUK’s offensive to an aggressive approach.
“Overall, as a team, we went into today knowing we had to be aggressive because they throw a lot of strikes,” the outfielder said.
The Javelinas hope to continue their early-season momentum on the road in Lawton, Okla., where they take on LSC-foe the Cameron Aggies.