No. 13 A&M-Victoria drops opener to Hope International, will face elimination game on Tuesday

LEWISTON, Idaho -- The Texas A&M University‑Victoria baseball team dropped into the elimination side of the Lewiston Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round after falling, 6‑0, to Hope International on Monday afternoon at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho.

The No. 13-ranked Jaguars (36‑16) will now face an elimination game in the double‑elimination tournament following an afternoon where runs were hard to come by against Hope International starter Josh Landry.

Jonathan Jones matched Landry early and kept A&M‑Victoria within striking distance throughout the contest, pitching all nine innings for the Jaguars. Jones scattered eight hits, struck out six and allowed six runs, four earned, as the game remained scoreless through five innings before breaking open late.

A&M‑Victoria put pressure on the Royals' defense in the early going, placing runners on base in four of the first five innings. The Jaguars' best scoring chance came in the first when Connor Kaiser and Garrett Smith delivered back‑to‑back two‑out singles, but a flyout ended the threat. Despite consistent traffic, A&M‑Victoria was unable to deliver the timely hit needed to shift momentum.

The loss marks the first time in 52 contests this season the Jaguars were held scoreless, snapping one of the longest offensive streaks in the NAIA.

Key moments

The turning point arrived in the top of the sixth inning. After a leadoff double, a sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position, and Isaiah Lane followed with an RBI single to right center to open the scoring. Defensive errors extended the inning and allowed two additional unearned runs to cross, giving Hope International a 3‑0 cushion.

The Royals added to the lead in the eighth on Colby Moran's RBI double and an RBI groundout, then put the game away in the ninth when David Allen homered to center field.

A&M‑Victoria could not generate a late rally, producing just one hit over the final four innings as Landry closed out the complete‑game performance.

Top performers

Jones provided a valuable workhorse effort for the Jaguars, throwing 117 pitches and preserving the bullpen as A&M‑Victoria prepares for its elimination matchup.

Offensively, Beck Zimmerman, Kaiser, Smith, Roberto Olguin and Josiah Taylor each collected a hit. Taylor anchored the outfield defense with five putouts in center field.

Next up

The Jaguars will face the loser of Monday night's game between the host Lewis-Clark State College and four-seeded Keiser University at 4:30/2:30 p.m. (CT/PT) in an elimination game.