KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The UT Tyler baseball program moved to 12-2 on the season after a 3-1 series-clinching victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sunday afternoon. The Patriots relied on dominant pitching and a timely seventh-inning surge to secure their fourth straight series win to open the season.

UT Tyler threatened early, putting two runners on via singles and drawing a walk in the first inning, but could not capitalize. Dylan Blomquist got the start in the series finale and set the tone immediately, retiring the side in order in both the first and second innings.

The Javelinas pushed across their only run in the third inning, capitalizing on a pair of Patriot errors to take a 1-0 lead. The run was unearned, and Blomquist continued to attack the zone, keeping Kingsville off balance throughout his outing.

The game settled into a pitcher's duel over the next few frames. UT Tyler was retired in order in the fourth, and the Javelinas matched that in the fifth. A hit-by-pitch in the sixth marked the only Patriot baserunner in that stretch. In the bottom half, Tyler Puckett entered in relief and faced the minimum, erasing a baserunner with a double play before recording a strikeout to end the inning.

The Patriots finally broke through in the seventh. Bryce Jewell led off the inning with a solo home run to left field, his fourth of the season, tying the game at 1-1. Two walks and a wild pitch moved runners into scoring position, and Luke Smith delivered with a single through the right side to give UT Tyler its first lead of the afternoon. Drew Schmidt followed with a perfectly placed bunt single to extend the advantage to 3-1.

Puckett carried the Patriots through the ninth, recording two outs before handing the ball to Klayton Wingfield, who struck out the final batter to secure the one-out save, his first of the year. Blomquist tossed five complete innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit while throwing 76 pitches. Puckett earned his second win of the season after 3.2 scoreless innings, surrendering only three hits.

Offensively, seven Patriots recorded a hit. Schmidt posted the lone multi-hit performance and drove in a run, while Jewell's solo shot highlighted his 1-for-3 day at the plate.

With the win, UT Tyler remains tied atop the Lone Star Conference standings alongside St. Mary's. The Patriots will return home next weekend to host St. Edward's in a four-game series beginning February 27 and running through March 1.