KINGSVILLE, Texas - The UT Dallas baseball team defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 9-1 in the Lone Star Conference series opener at Nolan Ryan Field on Friday night.

The Comets (28-11 LSC) only recorded five hits, but drew eight walks,  while the Javelinas (21-18 LSC) also had five hits, but only two walks.

Game Highlights
- UTD got on the board in the third on a two-run double from Nico Fernandez, plating Gavin Barker and Albert Garza.
- Sophomore designated hitter Kole Kinnison blasted his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the right field fence in the top of the fifth.
- Braden Duff led off the bottom of the fifth by reaching on an error and scored on a Landon Salinas double for TAMUK's only run.
- Two errors, a two-run single from Garza and a Fernandez sac fly led to UTD leading 9-1 in the sixth.
- The Comets pitchers fanned 12 batters, the most in a game this season.

UT Dallas Performances
- Junior starter Seth Taylor (5-2) struck out a season-best 10 batters, allowing five hits, one walk and an unearned run over seven frames.
- Kole Allen fanned two and allowed a walk in two scoreless innings.
- Fernandez was 1-for-3 with a double, three RBI, walk, sac fly and run scored. He now has 101 career runs batted in, becoming the ninth player in program history to reach the century mark.
- Barker drew two walks and scored twice.
- Garza had a hit, two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. He moved into third place on the UTD career steals list with 46.

Texas A&M-Kingsville Performances
- Three of the Javelinas' five hits were doubles, recorded by Salinas, Sergio Galvan and Nathan Gamez.
- Salinas was also hit by a pitch and drove in the only run.
- Garrett Nail (4-4), who ranked second in the nation in strikeouts this season, struck out eight batters, but allowed three hits, six earned runs and six walks over five innings in the loss.

Up Next
UTD and TAMUK will play in a pair of seven-inning games on Saturday at 2 p.m.