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UT Tyler is going from the Rose City to the Mile High City.

The Patriots are heading to the NCAA Division II World Series in their first season of eligibility, thanks to a high-drama clinching regional championship title on Friday.

After being forced to play a third game when Texas A&M-Kingsville tied the series at 1-1 with a 6-5 nine-inning victory earlier in the day, the Patriots rallied for a 6-4 win in the third-and-deciding game.

Thus, the No. 1 Patriots (47-7) punched a ticket to the national championship tournament in Denver, which is scheduled for May 26-30. The Javelinas end their season at 50-12.

UT Tyler won the South Central Super Regional best-of-three series, 2-1. The Patriots won Game 1, 5-1, on Thursday.

GAME 3With the Javelinas rallying twice to knot the series at a game apiece, A&M-Kingsville had the momentum going into the third contest of the series.

The Kingsville squad took a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth before the Patriots plated four runs to take a 6-3 advantage.

Kaylee Dietrich hit a solo homer to bring the Javelinas within 6-4.

In the seventh, A&M-Kingsville got two on but UT Tyler pitcher Sarah Gartman got the save when she got the final hitter to groundout.

Then the celebration began.

In the key sixth inning, Sam Schott, a freshman from Spring Hill, singled to lead off the inning. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hanna Fradkin. Mak Dominguez singled and Michelle Arias followed with an RBI single to tie the game.

Shannon Klaus singled to load the bases. Courtney Plocheck’s sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run. Ashley Perez singled in a run and later Klaus stole home for a 6-3 lead.

Tatum Goff (13-4) pitched 6.1 innings to get the win, allowing three runs (1 earned) while striking out six and walking two. It was Gartman’s third save.

GAME 2

The Patriots took a 4-2 lead on a three-run homer by Perez and a solo shot by Goff in the third inning.

But the Javelinas tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth as Dietrich had a two RBI double.

The Patriots went on top 5-4 in the seventh as Plocheck’s SF scored Fradkin.

However, A&M-Kingsville tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh as Loren Kelly scored on Kayla Gonzalez’s groundout.

The Javelinas then won in the bottom of the ninth to force Game 3 as Gonzalez singled in Kelly for the 6-5 win.

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