(RV)/#11 Jags take Game 1 from Xavier with late push

Jackson Purcell has been patient.

The Moses Lake, Washington, who transferred from the University of Central Arkansas has played in 18 games for UHV this season and proven to be a strong glove in the outfield. But he's been waiting for his bat to heat up this season to match his play in the field.

Purcell delivered for the second consecutive game, providing a big two-run single to highlight a four-run eighth inning to help power the Jaguars to a 7-4 win in the series opener with Xavier (La.) at Riverside Stadium. It's the second consecutive game with a hit for Purcell, who homered in Wednesday's win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

"It was good," Purcell said. "Obviously, you always like scoring runs and getting RBIs. But, now I've just got to keep stringing them together."

The win was the eighth in a row for the Jaguars (17-2, 7-0), marking the longest streak under head coach Jonathan Stavinoha.

UHV opened the scoring with a bang as Jose Montanez laced his first triple of the year to dead center in the fourth to score Cristian Garcia.

After Xavier tied the game in the fifth, The Jaguars rallied for six unanswered runs between fifth and eighth innings. DeeAndre Torres gave UHV the lead for good in the fifth with an RBI double to left field, scoring Juan Perez.

Montanez and Perez picked up RBIs in the eighth via a hit-by-pitch and a walk with bases loaded.

UHV had to claw runs across after Xavier starting pitcher Jeremy Clark worked well to pick off three Jaguar runners on the base path.

"We had some hits and then we just had a lack of focus for a little bit," said head coach Jonathan Stavinoha. "It was really a killer momentum-wise, and then we had to push to overcome it. Ultimately, we started getting back to our ball there in the later innings and had some good offensive showings there."

Brady Parker turned in another gem in his sixth start this season.

The Victoria East product struck out a season-high 12 batters while allowing just one run on one on one hit and four walks. It was his fifth win of the season, tying him for second in the RRAC with teammate and fellow Victoria native Mason Longoria.

"I could be happier because I had more walks than I like," Parker said. "But I knew going into it after the first couple of innings that I had to keep throwing and doing what I do until our bats got hot."

Marcos Moreno earned the unconventional three-inning save after coming on to close the game behind Parker. The Blessing, Texas, native allowed three runs – two earned – on four hits while picking up his first three strikeouts of the season.

The two teams will wrap up the three-game set with a 12 p.m. doubleheader. Saturday is also the UHV Baseball BBQ Fundraiser and Silent Auction presented by La Lechonera Products. Barbecue plates are $20 and will be handed out starting at 10 a.m. and run until supplies last.