STEPHENVILLE – A five-run first inning by the Javelinas proved too much to overcome for Tarleton as the Texans dropped their Lone Star Conference opener to Texas A&M-Kingsville 5-4 at Nolan Ryan Field Friday.
 
Tarleton came out of the gates swinging as Blake Adams and Francisco Rodriguez started the game off with a single and double in back-to-back at bats. Dylan Lemons drove Adams home with a sacrifice fly to put the Texans on top 1-0 in the first.
 
Kingsville answered with five runs in their half of the first inning on three RBI singles, the big one coming with two outs and the bases loaded that allowed three runs to come across.
 
After the opening frame, the Texan pitching staff was superb.
 
Nathan Jackson came on and threw a season high three innings, over which he struck out six and didn't allow a hit. He gave way to Chris Reed out of the bullpen, who went the next 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Eli McLane retired the side in the seventh and Eddie Avila struck out the side in the eighth to keep Kingsville off the board again. The Texan pitching staff combined for 16 strikeouts in the game.
 
Meanwhile, the offense chipped away with one in the third when Lemons drove home Rodriguez, who led off the inning with a triple, to cut the deficit to 5-2. Jon Tauzin made the final dent in the scoreboard with a two-RBI single in the fifth, but the Texans could get no closer. Tarleton stranded 12 baserunners in the game.
 
Tarleton pounded out 13 hits for the game, led by a 3-for-4 effort with two RBI from Lemons. Jake Shelby, Austin Call, and Rodriguez also had two-it efforts while Adams, Stacy Heinatz, Hunter Seales, and Tauzin rounded out the offense with one each.
 
The Texans and Javelinas will return to action for a doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m.