KINGSVILLE UTPB’s Chris Ortega and Skyler Palermo both homered Friday, but it wasn’t enough as the Falcons dropped the opener of their Lone Star Conference baseball series 5-3 at Texas A&M Kingsville.
The Javelinas (29-9 overall, 8-5 LSC) took advantage of a UTPB error in the second, scoring two unearned runs to go up 3-0. Will Arnold doubled in two runs and Kohl Ullman added a run-scoring groundout.
Ortega, who was 2 for 5, homered in the third and Simon Clarke added an RBI double in the fourth as the Falcons (6-32, 2-11) got within 3-2. Texas A&M-Kingsville scored on a wild pitch and a balk in the fifth before Palermo, who was 2 for 4, connected in the sixth.
Tyler Flores (5-0) struck out 10 over seven innings to get the win, allowing three runs on five hits. Joshua Valdez struck out five of six batters for his third save. Falcons starter Andrew Loudermilk (0-6) was charged with three earned runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked six.
UTPB………….. 001 101 000 — 3 8 1
A&M-K’ville… 030 020 00x — 5 6 0
Andrew Loudermilk and Mitchell Hazlett. Tyler Flores, Trey Taylor (8), Joshua Valdez (8) and Will Arnold, Christian Caudle (8). W — Flores (5-0). L — Loudermilk (0-6). Sv — Valdez (3). 2B — UTPB: Simon Clark; TAMUK: Arnold. 3B — TAMUK: Manny Laredo. HR — UTPB: Chris Ortega (2), Skyler Palermo (2).
Records — UTPB 6-32 overall, 2-11 Lone Star Conference; Texas A&M-Kingsville 29-9, 8-5.
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Lone Star Conference Standings
Overall Conference
Team W L W L
West Texas A&M…………. 30 8 12 1
Tarleton State……………… 28 13 13 4
Texas A&M-Kingsville….. 29 9 8 5
Angelo State……………….. 27 12 8 5
Cameron…………………….. 15 24 5 11
Eastern New Mexico…….. 17 20 3 14
UTPB……………………………. 6 32 2 11
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Friday’s games
Tarleton State 4, West Texas A&M 1
Texas A&M-Kingsville 5, UTPB 3
Angelo State 22, Eastern New Mexico 5
Saturday’s games
UTPB at Texas A&M-Kingsville (DH), 1 p.m.
West Texas A&M at Tarleton State (DH), 1 p.m.
Eastern New Mexico at Angelo State (DH), 4 p.m.
Sunday’s games
UTPB at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 1 p.m.
Eastern New Mexico at Angelo State, 1 p.m.
West Texas A&M at Tarleton State, 1 p.m.
