KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – UT Tyler baseball hasn't quit all season, and tonight was no exception. The Patriots were down to their final out before a huge rally turned the tide of the game and lead to an 8-7 victory to take a 1-0 series lead against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
The Patriots struck first in the game, putting up a quick pair of runs in the first inning from an Ethan Bedgood RBI single and then Tanner Roach reaching on a fielder's choice that allowed Bedgood to score.
 
Those two runs were quickly matched with four runs in the bottom half of the first inning as the Javelinas got the better of Dylan Blomquist through one. Three straight singles followed by a double allowed the first three runs to score, and the final run of the inning came around on a groundout.
 
In the top half of the second, Tommy van de Sanden cut the lead in half with an RBI single to left field that brought home Carson Cox. Blomquist settled in after a rough first inning and worked around a triple with a strikeout and a groundout while Cade Watson threw out the runner trying to steal to keep the Javelinas at bay.
 
That let Blomquist get in a groove, as he continued the strong work in the third with another strikeout, a groundout, and a fielder's choice.
 
In the fourth inning, the Patriots struck again. Cox reached on a walk with one out, and then a deep drive to left center field from Kyle McShaffry went for a double and drove home Cox from first to tie up the contest. Blomquist stayed steady, working around a double and a walk to retire the side with no damage again.
 
In the bottom half of the fifth, however, Texas A&M-Kingsville struck back. This time leading off the inning with a solo shot to left field to break the tie. Blomquist responded to that with a pair of strikeouts and retired six of the next seven hitters over the remainder of the fifth and the sixth innings.
 
Garrett Arredondo took over for Blomquist in the seventh and worked a quick inning to keep the Patriots in it. In the eighth, the Javelinas caught some momentum and tried to put the game out of reach. A leadoff hit by pitch and a double down the left field line put a pair of runners in scoring position, and they were driven home with an RBI single.
 
The top of the ninth is where the whole game flipped for the Patriots. Kyle Hawkins led off with a hit by pitch, and was pinch run for by Hayden Clearman. After a pair of strikeouts and a wild pitch, Clearman stood on second and the Patriots were down to their final out. That brought in McShaffry, who came up clutch on a 1-2 count to chop a single into center field to score Clearman.
 
That momentum kept rolling after another single to center from Bedgood. Alex Bruce came on to pinch run for Bedgood, and into the box strolled Lukas Polanco. The senior from Fort Worth, Texas delivered the biggest hit of the night, a triple to deep right center field on a 2-0 count that brought McShaffry and Bruce home to tie the contest going into the bottom of the ninth.
 
In that half inning, A.J. Irvin stepped onto the mound and delivered a clutch 1-2-3 inning to move it to extra innings.
 
Both teams went down in order in the 10^th, and the Javelinas faced the minimum again in the 11^th. In the bottom half, Irvin struck out the first batter before issuing a walk. He induced a big popout, but then allowed a single to put runners on first and second. However, he came up big again, forcing a groundout to himself and ending any threat.
 
Eddie Ortiz broke the spell with a base hit to start the 12^th, but the Patriots went down in order behind him. In the bottom half, Irvin went right back to work with another 1-2-3 inning to shut down Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
In the top of the 13^th, the Patriots seized the momentum yet again. Clearman reached on a single, and then moved up to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Cox singled to left field and moved up to second on the throw to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Van de Sanden followed with a walk, and that loaded the bases for McShaffry to play the hero.
 
That is exactly what McShaffry did, launching a ball high and deep to center field to allow Clearman to score from third on the sacrifice fly and put the Patriots in front by one.
 
Head coach Brent Porche turned to his bullpen ace Irvin yet again, and he did not disappoint. Irvin retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to give UT Tyler the game one victory in dramatic fashion.
 
Three Patriots hitters had multiple hits hits on the night, but it was McShaffry who led the way. He accounted for two hits and three RBI, including the game winner. Polanco managed just one hit, but it was arguably the biggest one of the season for the Patriots as it went for a bases clearing triple to tie the game in the ninth inning.
 
A.J. Irvin got the win after going five innings from the ninth inning onwards and allowing no runs and just one hit. He struck out four batters and walked only one while being crucial to holding the Javelinas in check.
 
UT Tyler gets their first chance at a series clinching victory tomorrow afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. If the Patriots take that contest, they will move on to the four team double elimination bracket at the highest seed remaining's host site. If they do not take tomorrow's game, they will have yet another opportunity in the final game of this best-of-three series on Sunday at 1 p.m.