Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Texas A&M – Kingsville baseball team defeated St. Edward's University, 9-2 on Thursday in Game 3 of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Baseball Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo.

Kingsville (35-18) dominated the game scoring nine runs through seven innings before the Hilltoppers (39-15) got on the board in the eighth inning.

Kingsville scored four runs in the bottom of the first and third innings. The first inning runs came as Brian Frazier hit a double into center field and drove in Matt Perez and Derrick Walls. Walls reached first base with a single to left center field, and advanced to second when Perez walked, 2-0. In the bottom of the third inning, Taylor Taska singled through the left side and drove in Travis Laird, 3-0. Laird walked to reach first, advanced to second after Walls hit a sacrifice bunt, and advanced to third when Perez singled. Kingsville's fourth run came in as Ryan Guedry fouled out to left field but drove in Perez, 4-0. Perez singled to reach first, advanced to second base on Taska's single, and advanced to third base on Frazier's single.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Miles Holcomb knocked a home run over the right field wall, 5-0. Holcomb now has three home runs for the season. Four batters later, Taska sent a bomb over the center field wall and drove in Perez and Walls, 8-0. Taska now has eight home runs for the season. Walls singled to reach first base and stole second base. Perez walked to reach first base. Dustin Aguilar scored the lone run of the seventh inning when Guedry singled to center field, 9-0.

St. Edward did not get their first hit and runs until the eighth inning. Kevin Mayo received the first hit for the Hilltoppers when he singled through the left side. The two runs for St. Edward's came in when Wes Koenig doubled down the right field line and drove in Mayo and Miles Wright. Wright walked to reach first base and advanced to second base on Mayo's single.

Dallas Ponder (8-2) picked up the win for the Javelinas. He pitched eight innings with two runs with two earned on three hits. Ponder threw 101 pitches, faced 27 batters, and struck out eight.

Brannon Easterling (11-5) suffered the loss for St. Edward's. He pitched 3.2 innings with seven runs with seven earned on eight hits.
The Javelinas will play the winner of Game 2 between West Texas A&M and Tarleton State on Friday at 7 p.m. (Mountain Time) / 8 p.m. (Central Time).