TYLER, TEXAS – The UT Tyler baseball program continued its hot start to the season Friday night, earning an 8–2 road victory over the Javelinas in Kingsville to move to 10-1 overall and extend its win streak to seven games. The Patriots delivered a complete performance in the series opener, as all nine starters recorded at least one hit while the pitching staff allowed just one earned run on three hits and struck out 13.
UT Tyler wasted no time getting on the board. Connor Clark drew a leadoff walk in the first inning and later came around to score thanks to a wild pitch and a Texas A&M-Kingsville fielding error, giving the Patriots an early 1-0 advantage.
Making his first start of the season, Coleson Abel was sharp from the outset. The left-hander worked around a leadoff walk in the first and struck out two to strand the runner. In the second, he faced the minimum after inducing an inning-ending double play. The Javelinas evened the score in the third after a leadoff single advanced to third on a stolen base and passed ball before scoring on a fielder's choice, but Abel responded in dominant fashion by striking out the side in the next inning.
The Patriots reclaimed control in the fifth inning. A leadoff double and two walks loaded the bases with one out, setting the stage for Kaston Mason. The Patriot outfielder delivered with a two-run single into center field to put UT Tyler back in front, 3-1. Texas A&M-Kingsville pushed across an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning after an error and hit-by-pitch started the frame, trimming the lead to 3-2. That would be the final threat the Javelinas would mount.
Jacob Hadden entered out of the bullpen and turned in his most dominant outing of the season. The left-hander tossed five scoreless innings, allowing no hits while striking out six to earn the win and improve to 3-0 on the year. Abel and Hadden combined to cover all nine innings, surrendering just three hits and one earned run.
Offensively, the Patriots continued to apply pressure late. In the seventh, back-to-back singles put runners on the corners before Ben Lea lifted a sacrifice fly to left to extend the lead to 4-2. UT Tyler would then put the game away in the eighth with a four-run frame. Two singles and a wild pitch moved runners into scoring position before a two-out walk loaded the bases. Mason drew an RBI walk, and Lea followed with a bases-clearing triple to break the game open at 8-2.
Lea finished with a team-high four RBIs, while Luke Smith paced the Patriots with three hits in a 3-for-5 performance that included two runs scored. Mason reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch as six Patriots reached base multiple times in the balanced attack.
UT Tyler will look to continue its momentum Saturday afternoon as the series resumes with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
