A&M-Victoria baseball sweeps No. 1 LSU Shreveport, leads RRAC

The Texas A&M University–Victoria baseball team delivered a statement series over the weekend, sweeping No. 1‑ranked LSU Shreveport in a a three-game set including pair of tightly contested games at Riverside Stadium.

The Jaguars claimed victories of 4–3 and 5–2 on Saturday, extending their winning streak to 14 games—the longest under head coach Jonathan Stavinoha—and opening a two‑game lead over LSUS in the conference standings. It is the first time since 2016 that the Jaguars (27-9, 16-2) swept the Pilots.

Across the series, A&M‑Victoria relied on timely hitting, elite situational execution and dominant pitching.

Garrett Smith drove in four runs over the two games, including two go‑ahead RBIs in late innings, while Antonio Benitez went 3‑for‑8 with multiple runs scored. On the mound, the Jaguar pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts and limited the nationally top‑ranked offense to five total runs.

Game 1

The opener was a classic pitcher's duel that saw both teams trade punches before A&M‑Victoria walked it off in the seventh for a 4–3 victory.

After LSU Shreveport struck first with a two‑run home run in the third, the Jaguars answered in the bottom half of the inning. Connor Kaiser lifted a sacrifice fly to get A&M‑Victoria on the board, and Garrett Smith followed with a two‑run single to put the Jaguars ahead 3–2.

LSUS tied the game in the seventh with a solo homer, setting the stage for late‑inning drama. In the bottom of the frame, Josiah Taylor reached to begin the rally, and Smith delivered again—this time with a walk‑off single through the infield to score the decisive run.

Smith finished the game 2‑for‑3 with three RBIs, while Benitez added two hits at the top of the order. On the mound, Blane Zeplin was outstanding, striking out 10 over six innings while allowing just two runs. Andrew Rivera earned the win in relief, despite surrendering the tying homer before bouncing back to close the game.

Game 2

A&M‑Victoria completed the sweep in the series finale, breaking through with a five‑run fourth inning and riding another strong pitching performance to a 5–2 win.

The Jaguars capitalized on defensive miscues and clutch at‑bats in the fourth. Roberto Olguin opened the scoring with an RBI single, followed by run‑scoring hits from Benitez and pressure that forced multiple LSUS errors, allowing A&M‑Victoria to build a decisive lead.

That was all the offense the Jaguars would need. Jacob Baker delivered 6.1 scoreless innings, scattering six hits while striking out five. Justin Mireles and Matthew Mejia handled the final frames, with Mejia recording the save to seal the victory.

Offensively, Benitez drove in a run and scored once, while Jackson Purcell and Jose Montanez both crossed the plate during the decisive frame. The Jaguars drew five walks and consistently extended at‑bats against a deep LSUS pitching staff.

Next Up

The Jaguars head to LSU Alexandria for a three-game conference series next Friday and Saturday.