KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Patriots battled close in game one but gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth and then could not get the offense going in game two to drop a pair of contests to the Javelinas.
 
UT Tyler jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in game one against Texas A&M-Kingsville after just the top half of the first inning. After a Riley Lambert single and Ethan Bedgood reached on a dropped fly by the center fielder, they each advanced a base to put themselves in scoring position with just one out.
 
Kyle McShaffry then walked, and the wild pitch he walked on moved Lambert around to score and Bedgood over to third. Jordan Gochenour was hit by a pitch, and Tommy van de Sanden reached by an error from the shortstop and the Patriots were able to plate two more runs.  
 
Ryan Rickett was the man on the bump for UT Tyler in game one, and he answered the call to near perfection. He sat the Texas A&M-Kingsville hitters down in order in the bottom half of the first, second, and third innings. In the bottom half of the fourth, Rickett got the first batter of the inning to fly out to left field, and was pulled for Brandon Petix.
 
Petix came in and started strongly, immediately striking out the first hitter he faced and getting a groundout to end the inning. In the fifth inning, Petix allowed just one hit, but never allowed the runner to move past first while retiring the side.
 
In the top half of the sixth inning, both of the Patriots first two hitters reached base to give them runners on first and third with no outs. After a popout in foul territory and a walk from Lambert, the bases were loaded with just one out, but after a fly out to right field and a popout to shortstop, the Patriots threat was ended.
 
The bottom half of the sixth began with Petix mowing down the first two hitters with a groundout and a strikeout swinging. However, that is when luck changed for the Javelinas. After the next hitter singled on a bunt, Petix struck out the next hitter but he reached on a wild pitch. That put runners on first and third with two outs.
 
That brought in Mitchell Lee to come on and close out the game. The first hitter he faced drove in the first run of the game for the Javelinas on a single to left field. The next hitter tripled deep down the right field line and that scored two more to tie the game. After another wild pitch scored him from third, the Javelinas had the lead.
 
In the seventh inning needing a run to extend the game, the Patriots had to find an answer quickly. After a strikeout to start the inning, Gochenour ripped a single to left field to get the tying run on base. After a groundout to first, Gochenour moved into scoring position with two outs, but a groundout to second ended the game with a final score of 4-3.
 
Riley Lambert collected the only two hit game for the Patriots in game one, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk. Ethan Bedgood and Kyle McShaffry each scored runs in addition to Lambert.
 
Ryan Rickett got the start, going three and a third innings while giving up no hits, no runs, no walks, and a strikeout. He gave the ball to Brandon Petix, who went 2 and a third and gave up two hits, two runs, and had three strikeouts. The loss goes to Mitchell Lee, who gave up two hits and two runs in just one third of an inning.
 
GAME TWO
 
In game two, it was the Javelinas who jumped on the board first. After getting the Patriots out on three consecutive strikeouts in the top half of the first, the Javelinas scored two runs in the bottom half to take the lead 2-0.
 
After a leadoff strikeout, the next two Javelinas hitters each singled. Another single brought in a run to score, and a throwing error moved two runners into scoring position with just one out. After an RBI groundout, the score was 2-0 after one inning.
 
After the action of the first inning, starter Nick Niebur settled in and pitched a gem. He sat all three hitters down in order in the bottom half of the second and gave the Patriots the chance to get themselves back in it.
 
In the top of the third after a leadoff groundout, Carson Cox was hit by a pitch and then promptly stole second to put himself in scoring position. After a lineout to center field couldn't move him over, Tanner Roach stepped to the plate with the chance to drive him home. He was hit by pitch and that put two runners aboard. However, Lambert grounded out to the shortstop and the inning was done.
 
Another three up three down inning for Niebur came in the bottom of the third, and he was in full command of his arsenal of pitches. In the fourth inning after a leadoff flyout to right field, the Javelinas got their first hit since the first inning. However, Niebur responded by forcing the next hitter into a 6-4-3 double play and ended the inning.
 
The top of the fifth inning provided a solid scoring opportunity again for the Patriots, but they were unable to capitalize. After a leadoff lineout from van de Sanden, Cox reached on a fielding error. The next hitter struck out, but Cox stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch to put himself in scoring position with two outs. That brought up Roach, but he grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
 
In the bottom half of the fifth, Niebur shut down the first two hitters before giving up a single up the middle to put a runner on with two outs. Lukas Polanco took care of the runner rather quickly though, throwing him out attempting to steal second base and ending the inning.
 
In the top half of the seventh inning, the Patriots needed to find a way to plate a pair of runs and extend the game. After a leadoff strikeout and a foulout to left field, van de Sanden reached base on an error by the shortstop to bring the tying run to the plate. Kyle Hawkins stepped in to pinch hit, but went down via strikeout to end the game.
 
The Patriots didn't have a hit in the contest, but reached base five times. Two of those came on hit by pitches, and the other three runners reached via an error.
 
Nick Niebur was credited with the loss, but pitched an absolute gem. He pitched all six innings, spreading out six hits for just two runs (1 earned), five strikeouts, and no walks.
 
UT Tyler will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. where they will look to even the series and go home with their second series split of the season.