KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The University of Texas at Tyler baseball program started off their second consecutive series with a victory after rolling over Texas A&M-Kingsville by a score of 7-2.
 
The Patriots wasted no time in grabbing the lead as they plated one run in the top half of the first inning. After Tommy van de Sanden reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, he advanced to second and put a runner in scoring position. Kyle McShaffry answered the call and continued his momentum from Monday's contest, ripping a single to center field that scored van de Sanden.
 
In the bottom half of the first, the Javelinas responded quickly to tie the score. After a leadoff single down the left field line and another single to right field, Jake Chapman knotted the score with a single of his own into right field. Dylan Blomquist settled in and answered the run with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
 
After a three up, three down second inning, the Javelinas pressured the Patriots in the third inning and broke the tie. A leadoff walk was shut down by a double play, but the third hitter of the inning singled up the middle and promptly stole second to put himself in scoring position. That brought up Chapman, and he answered the call again, this time singling up the middle and driving in the run to make it 2-1 after three innings.
 
The bottom of the fifth was where the tide permantly shifted in favor of the Patriots. After a leadoff walk from Hayden Clearman, a bunt single from Riley Lambert, and another walk from van de Sanden, McShaffry stepped up to the plate with the chance to break the game open for the Patriots offense. He drove a single up the middle and that brought in a pair of runs for the Patriots and gave them the lead by a score of 3-2.
 
With the lead now in hand, Lukas Polanco ripped a double down the left field line to make the score 4-2 and put McShaffry on third. Cade Watson stepped in after a Jordan Gochenour walk, and drove in McShaffry off of a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-2 after five innings.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Harrison Lee took the mound for UT Tyler. After a leadoff single for the Javelinas, the Patriots defense responded with a pair of fielder's choices and a groundout to end the threat.
 
After the leadoff hit in the sixth inning from Texas A&M-Kingsville, Lee responded by not allowing another hit for the remainder of the game and striking out three Javelinas hitters.
 
In the top of the ninth inning, the Patriots bats put up another pair of runs to give Lee the added insurance he needed to close out the game. Van de Sanden led off the inning with a single, and McShaffry reached on a fielding error to make it runners on first and second base. Polanco singled to center to load the bases, and after another Gochenour walk, the score became 6-2 with no outs. That brought Watson to the plate, and he grounded into a double play, but it drove in another run for UT Tyler and led them to the final score of 7-2.
 
Kyle McShaffry and Lukas Polanco were the only two Patriots hitters to collect multiple hits. McShaffry led the way with a 2-for-5 effort that included three RBI's and two runs scored. Polanco finished the day with a 2-for-4 line with one RBI and one double.
 
Dylan Blomquist gets the win in today's contest after a five inning outing. He gave up six hits and two earned runs while striking out four and giving up only six hits.
 
Harrison Lee earned the save after throwing four shutout innings. Lee gave up only one hit in his relief appearance and struck out three Javelinas hitters.