The USW Baseball Program took to the road on Thursday for their very first road conference series of the season. The Mustangs took on the Jarvis Christian Bulldogs and left Hawkins, TX stunned and baffled after being swept in the 4-game series. The offense managed to score only 3 runs over the 30 innings of play and the starting pitchers were unable to keep the games close in the first 3 games. The series sweep drops the Mustangs record to 14-11 on the season and leaves them with a 1-5 record in RRAC play. The series was moved up to Thursday and Friday due to weather concerns on Saturday afternoon.
 
GAME 1 (7 innings)—Thursday—12:00 pm
Jarvis 9---USW 0
 
JJ Kruzel got the start in Game 1 on Thursday and had a rough start out of the gate. Kruzel allowed 5 runs in the 1^st inning on 5 hits and 2 errors committed by himself. The 3^rd inning was another rough inning for the sophomore as he allowed 4 runs on 5 hits and was unable to complete the inning. Redshirt freshman Ezra Acosta came in for relief and threw the final 3 2/3 innings allowing 0 hits and 0 runs while striking out 1 Bulldog batter. 
 
The offense was neutralized by Jarvis starter Wyatt Jones who went the distance allowing 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5 and allowing 0 runs. The lone bright spot on offense came from pinch-hitter Tariq Levesque who replaced Micah Tambur and went 2-2 on the game. 
 
 
GAME 2 (7 inning-Run Rule)---Thursday—2:30 pm
Jarvis 12---USW 2
 
Game 2 for the Mustangs was all about lack of execution. The Mustangs managed 10 hits in the 7-inning run-rule shorted game, but only managed to push 2 of those runners across. The team had 5 doubles in the game but struggled with clutch hitting throughout. CJ Aviles went 2-4 with 1 double in Game 2 and Brian Rodriguez went 2-3 with an RBI and 2B. 
 
Axel Arrieta got the start for the Mustangs and went 3 2/3 inning allowing 10 runs on 9 hits and 4 walks. The redshirt senior was ahead of most hitters in the game, but was unable to finish them late in the count which resulted in many 2-strike hits for the Bulldogs. Ignacio Elizalde came in for relief in the 4^thinning and continued his strong season. The Muleshoe, TX native went 2 1/3 inning allowing 2 unearned runs and 4 hits. 
 
The Mustangs committed 4 errors in Game 2. 
 
 
 
GAME 3 (9 inning)---Friday---12:00 pm
Jarvis 7---USW 1
 
The story of Game 3 was Jarvis' starting pitcher Antony Orta. The southpaw baffled the Mustangs all afternoon and walked off the mound with the Jarvis record for strikeouts in a game. Orta struck out 17 Mustang batters over 8 2/3 innings. Every starter for the Mustangs had at least 1 strikeout in the game. Orta walked only 1 batter and allowed only 4 hits on the afternoon.
 
Micah Tambur was the lone bright spot for the Mustangs as he was 3-4 on the afternoon with 1 RBI and struck out only once. Tambur drove home the only run on the afternoon for USW. 
 
Marvin Galarza got the start on the mound and labored through 6 innings of work allowing 4 runs on 9 hits and 5 walks. The redshirt senior had to work a little bit harder due to a confusing strike zone from the home plate umpire. Galarza ran into trouble in the 2^nd inning where he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits. Carlos Baldenegro came in and threw the 7th inning and allowed 1 earned on a solo homerun from Jonas Garcia. Saliel Rivera threw the 8^th inning and made his Mustang debut on the mound. The redshirt junior allowed 2 earned on 2 hits and struck out 1 batter. 
 
GAME 4 (7 inning)---NON-CONFERENCE---Friday---3:15 pm
Jarvis 1---USW 0
 
Starting pitcher Alex Goodman picked up where he left off from his last start and threw 6 innings allowing 1 earned runs and struck out 5 Bulldog batters. The only run scored was in the bottom of the 4^th inning where Phillip Krauss was hit by a pitch, stole second and was driven home by Abran Luevano to give the Bulldogs the lead and only run of the ballgame. 
 
The Mustang offense was stifled once again and produced their 2^nd shutout of the weekend. Brent Thompson and Marco Vazquez both got their first starts of their Mustang careers. The Mustangs scattered 3 hits on the afternoon (Tingen, Delacruz & Rodriguez). 
 
 
 
UP NEXT
 
The Mustangs are back at home this weekend as they take on the Texas College Steers (10-17; 1-5 conference) in a 4-game series, with the first 3 games counting towards their conference records. The series begins Friday afternoon with a 12:00 pm first pitch. 
 
 
SERIES NOTES
 

• Marco Vazquez and Brent Thompson got their 1^st career starts in Game 4 on Friday
• Saliel Rivera made his USW debut on the mound in Game 3 
• Alex Goodman has pitched 13 innings and allowed 1 earned runs in his 2 starts this season
• The 5 doubles in Game 2 ties a season high for the offense, which they previously did on 2/22/19 vs. Bethany College.
• Ezra Acosta has not allowed a run in his last 6 1/3 inning of relief