No. 8 A&M-Victoria baseball gets run-rule win, moves one step closer to Sterlington
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
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1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 1 |
The top-seeded Texas A&M University–Victoria baseball team took a commanding first step toward the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament final site Thursday night.
The No. 8-nationally ranked Jaguars shut out Jarvis Christian University, 10-0, in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series at Riverside Stadium.
With the victory, the Jaguars, ranked No. 8 in the NAIA, put themselves one win away from advancing to the RRAC Tournament's final site in Sterlington, Louisiana. As the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, A&M-Victoria strengthened its position behind timely offense, disciplined plate appearances and dominant pitching in the series opener.
The Jaguars improved to 34-13 overall, while Jarvis Christian fell to 4-31. Game 2 of the series will determine whether A&M-Victoria can close out the sweep or if the Bulldogs can force a decisive third game.
Key Moments
A&M-Victoria set the tone early, manufacturing a run in the first inning when Connor Kaiser lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Antonio Benitez. The Jaguars added to their lead in the third on another productive out, with Beck Zimmerman grounding out to score Ty Boozer.
The breakthrough came in the fifth as Kaiser delivered his first RBI single of the night, helping push the lead to 4-0. From there, the Jaguars steadily widened the gap, capitalizing on Jarvis Christian miscues and continuing to apply pressure on the bases.
A pivotal seventh inning padded the advantage as A&M-Victoria scored three runs, highlighted by Kaiser's second sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Jose Montanez. The Jaguars then put the game out of reach in the eighth when Kaiser singled in two more runs and Garrett Smith followed with an RBI single to center.
By the end of the night, A&M-Victoria had scored in five different innings and forced Jarvis Christian into five errors, turning those opportunities into consistent run production.
Top Performers
Kaiser led the offense with five RBI, reaching base twice and driving in runs via two singles and two sacrifice flies. Benitez was a catalyst at the top of the lineup, scoring three runs while drawing three walks and adding a stolen base.
Boozer finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Smith chipped in an RBI and Montanez added a key run-scoring single in the late innings. The Jaguars worked eight walks as a team, repeatedly applying pressure to the Bulldogs' pitching staff.
On the mound, Jonathan Jones was in complete control. The senior right-hander earned the win after seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six and walking one. Andrew Rivera closed things out with a scoreless eighth to preserve the shutout.
Next up
A&M-Victoria looks to book its ticket to Sterlington at a 6:30 p.m. first pitch in Game 2 of the series.