TAMU-Kingsville Baseball Team Slugs Past Boll Weevils Team

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department

HOUSTON, Texas — Sophomore Bronson Gilliam went 4-for-5 with two homeruns, but the University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team could not overcome a 21-hit performance from Texas A&M-Kingsville in a 16-9 loss at the Astros in Action DII Invitational. Originally scheduled for a 7 p.m. start on Sunday, the game did not begin until 9:35 p.m. and ended in the early morning hours on Monday.

TAMU-Kingsville (2-1) began its hit parade with two runs in the first, another two in the second and five runs in the fourth to hold a four-run lead after three innings.

UAM (1-2) answered TAMU-Kinsgville’s production with four unearned runs in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of two fielding errors by the TAMUK shortstop and picking up two bases loaded walks.

Gilliam smashed his first homerun in the third to put UAM down 9-5 with a solo shot down the right field line. Gilliam got UAM to within two runs in the fifth with a two-run blast to right center that also scored senior Hunter Allday, who singled to right in the previous at bat.

Kingsville added two more runs in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Joe Tallerine and a UAM fielding error to put the Javelinas up 11-7 heading into the seventh.

The Javelinas added another unearned run in the top of the seventh, before UAM answered with a pair of unearned runs and finalized its scoring in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout from senior Danny Loya and a bases-loaded walk by junior D’Marco Poindexter.

TAMU-Kingsville capped the game’s scoring with a pair of runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings, highlighted by a two-run homerun by Taylor Taska in the ninth.

Sophomore Jeff Harvill (0-1) was saddled with the loss in relief, allowing five runs off four hits with one strikeout and two walks in the third inning. Denver Diefenbach (1-0) earned the win for the Javelinas in relief, allowing two runs off four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 2.2 innings of work.

In addition to Gilliam’s four-hit game, Loya and junior Ben Agredano also posted multiple hit performances, both going 2-for-5 at the plate.

The Boll Weevils conclude its run at the Astros in Action DII Invitational on Monday against Central Missouri. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.