HOUSTON -- Colton Wardle continued his hot hitting and three Colorado School of Mines pitchers combined to give up six hits in shutting down Tarleton State, 6-1, on Saturday. The Orediggers' win opened the second day of the Houston Winter Invitational, consisting of six NCAA Division II baseball teams playing at Minute Maid Park over three days.
A four-run top of the third inning would have been enough runs for Colorado-Mines (1-1), which added two runs in the fourth. The Texans averted a shutout with a ninth-inning home run by Jake Hasbrouck, who homered for the second straight game.
For the second straight day, Wardle had two hits as the Orediggers collected 10 hits. In Friday's 3-0 loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville, Colorado-Mines managed only five hits.
Starter Jake Ekstrom set the tone for Colorado-Mines, allowing only two hits over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. The right-hander was followed by solid performances from Gabe Garvens (1-0) and Mitch Menard, who got the save. Garvens gave up three hits over 2 1/3 innings, and Menard pitched the final three innings.
Texans starter Alex DeBell (0-1) couldn't finish the third inning, allowing four runs and four hits over 2 1/3 innings.
Derek Daly and Griffin Jones had two hits and one double each for the Orediggers, who will play Central Missouri on Sunday. Daly and Jones drove in two runs apiece, and Daniel Ciraula scored twice.
Jared McCarver collected three hits for Tarleton State, which on Friday outlasted Henderson State, 11-9, in 10 innings. The Texans play St. Mary's on Sunday in Game 3 to conclude the invitational.
For more information on the tournament or to purchase tickets, please visit Astros.com/Invitational.
Texas A&M-Kingsville 7, Central Missouri 2
For the second straight game, Texas A&M-Kingsville got an outstanding scoreless performance from its starting pitcher. On Saturday, six strong innings from Isaiah Lybarger and a seven-run third inning lifted the Javelinas to a 7-2 win over Central Missouri.
With one day remaining of the three-day Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park, the Javelinas are the only undefeated team among the six NCAA Division II schools.
Texas A&M-Kingsville got to Mules starter Collin Jones in the third-inning uprising. Jones (0-1) gave up all of the Javelinas' seven runs, exiting with two outs in the inning.
While Jones struggled, Lybarger (1-0) thrived, striking out 10 of the 21 batters he faced without issuing a walk. The right-hander allowed only four hits before giving way to Trey Taylor, who allowed one hit in two innings. Central Missouri designated hitter Elijah Dilday hit a two-run homer in the ninth to account for the Mules' (1-1) only runs.

Pablo Hernandez collected two doubles for the Javelinas (2-0), who garnered nine hits and also got two hits from Dallas Stefano. Donovan Ditto, who homered, doubled, and drove in four runs in Central Missouri's 8-3 victory over St. Mary's, added two more hits on Saturday.
In beating Colorado School of Mines, 3-0, on Friday, Texas A&M-Kingsville starter Preston Plovanich threw seven innings of scoreless ball, giving up four hits.
Henderson State 6, St. Mary's 2
Right-hander Daniel Sprinkle yielded only one run and struck out six over six innings in Henderson State's 6-2 victory over St. Mary's in the finale on Saturday.
St. Mary's pitchers permitted 13 walks, seven of those by starter Branson Hall in his 3 1/3 innings. Jackson Martin drew four walks and reached base five times. Martin's single off Hall to open the top of the fourth was the first hit for the Reddies (1-1).
James Davison logged a leadoff triple, but the Rattlers (0-2) didn't score in the inning. Donnie Perez and Bryce Brandl drove in runs for St. Mary's.
Both teams had five hits, but Henderson State capitalized on the walks. The Reddies' Brandon Pollock drove in two runs and Martin scored twice.