Over the weekend, the Texas A&M-Kingsville baseball team (19-9, 3-1 LSC) participated in a three-day contest that exemplifies the best of what America\u2019s pastime has to offer.
\nAfter a decisive 6-1 loss in game one, the Javelinas came back an hour later and dealt the visiting West Texas A&M Buffs (22-6,1-3 LSC) an 8-0 thrashing.
\nZach Boyett received the win on the bump. The eight players around him were perfect defensively, accruing no errors.
\nFriday\u2019s double-header was spearheaded offensively by Seth Spinn, Will Arnold and Cameron Melcher.
\nOutfielder Manny Loredo was another offensive leader in game two, going 2-for-3, scoring once, and knocking in two more.
\n\u201cIt was very exciting,\u201d Loredo said. \u201cTo see us take down a very competitive team the way that we did was awesome.\u201d
\nGame three sparked the wildfire of baseball diamond excitement that would go on to last 22 innings. The Javelinas had a cushy three-run lead going into the ninth, but the Buffs capitalized on defensive errors and shortened the Javelina\u2019s lead to 1. Pitcher Eric Sandoz won the two-out matchup, securing his third win of the season.
\nLoredo was excited to see the team realize the benefits of their teamwork.
\n\u201cIt allows us to have a good understanding of where we stand collectively as a team. Players rose to the occasion,\u201d Loredo said.
\nGame four proved to be a barn burner. Tied 3-3 at the end of the ninth inning, the game continued another four innings. In the bottom of the 13th, with the bases load, first baseman Pablo Hernandez dealt the killing blow with a walk-off grand slam.
\n\u201cMoments like that are what we work for all year. The grand slam ended it, but we as a team played a tremendous game and fought from start to finish,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cGames like that are why you gotta love baseball.\u201d
\nEric Sandoz got the win on the mound, extending his winning record to 4-0.
\nOffensive leaders in game four included, Hernandez, Loredo, Giancarlo Servin and Austin De Leon.
\n\u201cIt means a lot to beat a good team like them. We work extremely hard to win tough games, and that\u2019s what we did,\u201d Hernandez said.
\nBoth Hernandez and Loredo have their eyes set on their remaining conference games and plan to roll forward off the weekend\u2019s big wins with appreciation and swagger.
\n\u201cWe will continue to work and outcompete our opponents and continue to grind day in and day out to achieve the goals that we\u2019ve set,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cWe will fight and never surrender and give all glory to God.\u201d
\n\u201cYou can expect us to be a very competitive ball club. We don\u2019t take pitches off on either side of the ball,\u201d Loredo said. \u201cExpect energy and a pinch of arrogance.\u201d
\nThe Javelinas continue Lone Star Conference play next week at Cameron in Lawton, Okla.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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