KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – A monster day at the plate fueled the UT Tyler baseball program to a double-digit victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville and allows them to advance into the second weekend of the Lone Star Conference Baseball Tournament.
 
UT Tyler wasted no time in jumping out to a lead, and would never relinquish that lead in the contest. Carson Cox led off with a two-strike double, and Tommy van de Sanden stepped into the box and drilled a home run to left field to make it 2-0.
 
That brought in Kyle McShaffry, who singled to left field to keep the streak going. That allowed the hot hitting Ethan Bedgood, and he responded with his own two run bomb to left field to make it 4-0 after just four batters.
 
Not deterred, Texas A&M-Kingsville responded with a pair of runs off of starter Nick Niebur. Those runs came from the only fielding error of the game and a single through the right side.
 
After holding the Javelinas to just two runs, the Patriots stepped back into the box in the second inning and exploded for their largest inning of the day to nearly make the lead insurmountable. The first three hitters reached from a walk and a pair of singles, and that allowed McShaffry to step in and send a single to right field for the first run of the inning.
 
That run was followed by a Bedgood sacrifice fly that moved up all three runners. Dylan Blomquist took his turn next, and singled to center field to drive in two more. Friday night's hero Lukas Polanco then stepped into the box and launched the third home run in just two innings for the Patriots to center field.
 
All of that damage was done with just one out, and the Patriots showed no signs of slowing down as the next two hitters reached on a hit by pitch and another single. A sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position, and van de Sanden stepped in for the second time in the inning and roped a triple to left field to plate the eighth and ninth runs of the inning.
 
Over the next two innings, Niebur settled into a groove. He allowed just two baserunners in the second and third innings while posting two strikeouts and keeping Texas A&M-Kingsville off the board.
 
In the fourth inning, the Javelinas tried to get the comeback going. After a leadoff groundout, three straight singles plated a run, but Niebur kept the damage to a minimum with a groundball double play to end the inning.
 
A leadoff home run sparked the Javelinas in the fifth, and after a single and a pair of hit by pitches Niebur was lifted for Mitchell Lee. Lee allowed a single to score two runs, but quickly induced a popout to limit the damage and keep the lead at 13-6.
 
In the top half of the sixth, Polanco led off the inning, and responded by jumping all over the 1-1 pitch and driving it deep over the left field wall for the solo home run. In the bottom half, Lee settled in, working around a pair of singles with a strikeout, groundout, and a foulout. Lee followed that performance with another quick inning in the seventh, allowing just one baserunner.
 
With Lee rolling and the lead up to eight, the Patriots stepped up to the plate in the eighth and looked to put even more insurance on the board. After a double from Riley Lambert and a walk followed by a steal from Carson Cox, the Patriots had two runners in scoring position with two outs. A wild pitch scored Lambert, and van de Sanden delivered yet another RBI with a single to left field.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Javelinas attempted to put together a big rally to try and get back in it. After a leadoff lineout, three straight singles loaded the bases to put UT Tyler in a tough spot. Head coach Brent Porche elected to go to the bullpen and brought out Hayden Collins. Collins stepped up to the big challenge and forced a popout and a foulout from full counts and ended the inning with no runs allowed.
 
The final stamp on the day came in the ninth inning as the Patriots collected three more big runs. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and Hayden Clearman and Carson Cox drove in three total runs with two more singles to put the Patriots at 19 runs for the day.
 
Collins stayed on for the ninth, and worked a 1-2-3 inning to end the contest and move UT Tyler into the second weekend of the LSC Baseball Tournament.
 
The story of the day was the Patriots success with runners on base and runners in scoring position. With runners on, UT Tyler went 16-for-27 and with runners in scoring position they went 8-for-16. They also went a perfect 3-for-3 with runners on third and less than two outs.
 
Every Patriots starter reached base with a hit, and the leadoff pair of Carson Cox and Tommy van de Sanden lead the team with four each. Cox went 4-for-6 with three RBI and four runs scored while also drawing a walk. Van de Sanden went a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI and two runs while adding in a triple and a home run.
 
Nick Niebur went 4.2 innings to start the contest, and allowed four earned runs off of eight hits while striking out two. The win on the day went to Mitchell Lee, who pitched 2.2 innings and allowed no runs on seven hits and a strikeout. Hayden Collins pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed no hits to help keep the Javelinas scoreless over the final 4.1 innings in the game.
 
UT Tyler will now get the chance to return home and rest up before preparing to head out for the double elimination portion of the LSC postseason tournament. #1 seed Angelo State, #2 seed West Texas A&M, #5 seed UT Tyler, and #6 seed St. Edward's will compose the four team bracket to take place in San Angelo, Texas.
 
The Patriots will take on Angelo State in their first round matchup and look to advance into the winner's bracket. That contest is to take place on Thursday,