Box Score LAREDO, Tex. – The Jet bats had been relatively quiet through the first two games against Texas A&M International, but that all changed on Saturday as they erupted for 19 hits and 13 runs in support of Zak Mickens as they took the series by way of a 13-4 win.  Captain Ricky Sanchez led the way for the Jets, going 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored.  Kyle Johnston, Jordan Ollenberger, and Garrett Thomas all had three hits on the day, with Thomas and Andrew Standish contributing three RBIs apiece. 
 
The game was actually much closer than the final score suggests, as the Jets and Dustdevils were locked up at 3-3 through the first five innings.  A five-run seventh inning finally put some distance between the two teams, and Newman padded its lead with runs in the final two innings en route to the 13-4 final. 
 
TAMIU struck first in the game, loading up the bases in the bottom of the first on two singles and an error, then using a fielder's choice to score a run. Zak Mickens maintained his composure though, and got the next batter to ground out to end the inning.  Newman wasted no time in answering the call though, as Kyle Johnston led off with a flare single over the shortstop, then moved up to second on a sac bunt.  Jordan Ollenberger bounced a single through the right side on the next pitch, which allowed Johnston to score as he moved up to second on the throw to the plate.  After a Garrett Thomas single put runners at the corners, Jarrod Flax executed a perfect safety squeeze, pushing a bunt past the pitcher as Ollenberger scored to make it 2-1.  Newman tacked on another run in the top of the third, with Ricky Sanchez getting tings rolling by ripping a single through the right side.  After Sanchez advanced to second on a passed ball, Kyle Johnston singled up the middle to score Sanchez and make it 3-1 in favor of the Jets. 
 
TAMIU would not roll over though, as a solo home run in the bottom of the third made it 3-2, and an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth tied the game up 3-3.  After going down in order in the fourth and fifth, the Jets came to bat in the top of the sixth desperate to get the offense going again.  Alex Lator and Jordan Ollenberger teamed up with a pair of singles to get guys at the corners with one away, and Garrett Thomas skied a ball to center field that was deep enough to allow Lator to rush home with the go ahead run. This time, the Jets would not relinquish that lead.  Zak Mickens retired the Dustdevils without  a run in the home half of the sixth, and the Jets unleashed a five-run rally to put the game largely out of reach in the seventh.  Tyler Bugner worked a full-count walk to lead off the inning, then scored all the way from first when Mitchell Beaudreau launched a double into the gap in left center, making it 5-3 Jets and knocking TAMIU's  starter out of the game.  Andrew Standish followed with a single to right field that scored Beaudreau, and then Standish swiped second and moved up to third when the throw sailed into center field.  Kyle Johnston blooped a single into center field that scored Standish, and the Jets led 7-3 with only one out.  Alex Lator reached on an error and Jordan Ollenberger singled to load them up for Garrett Thomas, who bounced an 0-2 curveball through the drawn-in infield to make the score 9-3 in favor of Newman. 
 
The Dustdevils finally chased Mickens in the bottom of the seventh, using two singles and a walk to score a run and make it 9-4.  The Jets got that run right back in the top of the eighth though, loading up the bases with two out and getting a run when Jordan Ollenberger smacked a ball through the shortstop, making it 10-4 on the error.  Newman tacked on three more in the top of the ninth for good measure, getting one on a Ricky Sanchez RBI single, and getting two more when Andrew Standish launched a ball over the fence in left field for a two-run homer.  The Dustdevils got two men on in the top of the ninth, but Brandon Roberts struck out a batter looking and then got some help from his defense, as Alex Lator dove up the middle and flipped the ball to Jarrod Flax at the bag, who whipped the ball to first for a nifty game-ending double play. 
 
Zak Mickens picked up his sixth win of the season, surrendering four runs (three earned) and striking out six in 6 1/3 innings of work.  Jacob Furr, Joe Cannady, and Brandon Roberts held the Dustdevils scoreless for the final eight outs to secure the win. 
 
With the win, Newman is now 18-18 on the year (11-10 Heartland).  The series win this weekend puts the Jets in a good position with nine conference games remaining, as they currently hold the third place spot in the conference (excluding teams ineligible for the playoffs), and now have a 2 game lead on UTPB and 2.5 game lead on Arkansas Fort-Smith.  They will look to keep the momentum from this weekend rolling into this week, when they open a five-game homestand on Tuesday against Northwestern Oklahoma State.  They host McPherson on Wednesday afternoon before conference rival St. Mary's  comes to town next weekend.  First pitch against Northwestern Oklahoma State is slated for 6 p.m. on Tuesday at McCarthy Field.