Texas A&M-Victoria extended its winning streak to six games, marking the longest stretch of success this season, after dominating Jarvis Christian University in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Jaguars secured victories of 9-0 and 17-4 at Riverside Stadium, achieving their second consecutive series sweep. In total, they scored 26 runs on 21 hits across both games, showcasing relentless pressure throughout their batting lineup and a remarkable 10-run sixth inning in the second game that decisively turned the tide.
During this winning streak, A&M-Victoria has outscored its opponents by a staggering 79 to 24. Individual performances also shone bright, with Connor Kaiser extending his on-base streak to 19 games and Beck Zimmerman pushing his hitting streak to 10 games. Garrett Smith excelled with a combined 5-for-7 performance and five runs batted in, while Antonio Benitez crossed home plate seven times. Jackson Purcell contributed significantly with four hits and five RBI over the doubleheader.
The Jaguars improved their overall record to 19-9 and 10-2 within the Red River Athletic Conference, maintaining their position in second place, just two games behind LSU Shreveport.
Game 1 Highlights
A&M-Victoria set the tone early in the first game, scoring two runs in the opening inning. This included a double steal that brought Antonio Benitez home, followed by an RBI single from Jose Montanez. The Jaguars added another run in the second inning and two more in the fifth before erupting for four runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Zimmerman”s three-run double into the right-center gap.
Starting pitcher Blane Zeplin, a two-time Red River Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, delivered another stellar performance, throwing six shutout innings with ten strikeouts, marking his fourth outing of the season with double-digit strikeouts. Zeplin allowed only two hits and issued no walks before handing the ball to Matthew Mejia, who completed the four-hit shutout. Smith finished the game with a 3-for-4 record and two RBI, while Purcell added two hits and an RBI. Zimmerman accounted for three runs batted in, and Benitez reached base three times, scoring three runs.
Game 2 Performance
The second game remained competitive until the sixth inning when the Jaguars erupted for 10 runs on six hits, marking the most prolific inning for the A&M-Victoria offense this season. Leading 7-4 entering that frame, the Jaguars capitalized on multiple opportunities, beginning with an RBI double from Benitez, followed by a run-scoring double from Zimmerman, an RBI triple by Kaiser, and a three-run home run from Purcell. Josiah Taylor capped the inning with a run-scoring triple.
On the mound, winning pitcher Jacob Baker provided a solid performance, going four innings and allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out three and walking none. His ability to limit damage early allowed the offense to take control. In relief, Justin Mireles and Quinn Garcia combined for three scoreless innings to seal the victory. Smith concluded his impressive day with a 3-for-4 showing that included a home run and three RBI, while Purcell drove in four runs. Benitez scored four times, Kaiser reached base three times, and Montanez, Taylor, and Ty Boozer contributed to the 17-4 win.
The Jaguars are set to hit the road for five games next week, starting with a matchup against NCAA Division I Texas Southern on Tuesday, followed by a three-game series against Xavier (La.) in conference play on Friday and Saturday.
In another note, the A&M-Victoria softball team faced challenges in a doubleheader against the No. 9-ranked Our Lady of the Lake, losing the first game 14-1 and the second 6-0. The Jaguars managed only five hits throughout the day as they struggled to overcome early scoring surges by OLLU. Their record fell to 14-10 overall and 5-4 in Red River Athletic Conference play.
