No. 15 Jags tie single-season wins record with series win over John Melvin

Jose Montanez was due for a big hit.

The senior from Arroyo, Puerto Rico, delivered two big hits on Wednesday to help the Jaguars claim a series win over John Melvin University. UHV won Games 1 and 2, 3-2 and 8-6, respectively, before dropping Game 3, 10-7.

Montanez delivered a pair of home runs to go 2-for-3 with five RBIs in Game 2 on Wednesday, snapping a month-long drought without a homer. That helped the Jaguars (34-8) tie the program's single-season wins record.

"I think we competed well," said head coach Jonathan Stavinoha. "Jose swung the bat well. Everything he hit was hard. The middle of the lineup looks good. I'm excited where we're at. I think we've got the team to really make a run here late."

DeeAndre Torres drove in the eventual winning run for Game 2 of the series with an RBI single in the fifth and induced a rundown which scored Kyle Barosh as an insurance run.

Torres finished the series 6-for-9 with two RBIs. He was 3-for-3 in Game 1 on Tuesday.

By earning the win on the mound in Game 1, senior right-hander Mason Longoria etched his name in the UHV record books with his 11^th win this season, a new single-season record for a Jaguar pitcher. That mark also leads the NAIA.

The 2024 second team All-Red River Athletic Conference selection threw seven strong innings in which he allowed just two runs while striking out four. Justin Mireles earned his second save of the season with two innings of shutout relief on Tuesday.

"I couldn't be happier," Longoria said. "I came in this year not knowing what my role was going to be and then Stav told me, and I've been committed to it 100% ever since. I'm just glad he trusts me to go out there and do my stuff, whether it's the (late innings) or it's getting a start in the midweek."

UHV used six different relief arms out of the bullpen on Wednesday, including five in Game 3.

Junior lefty Andrew Hurrelbrink earned his first win of the season after striking out four batters and letting up just one hit across 2.2 innings of work.

And, though the bullpen struggled in the Game 3 loss, Stavinoha feels his team will be better for the experience.

"Getting them innings when they haven't really gotten that many, it's always good whether they do good or bad," Stavinoha said. "Just had to knock a little rust off and figure out who we can trust in certain situations. So, we've just got to execute throughout more."