KINGSVILLE, Texas – Tyreek Hill did it again … and again.
 
With the West Alabama defense keeping the Tigers in the lead despite an anemic effort by their offensive counterparts, Hill reached into his bag of big play tricks and bailed out the Tigers, not once, but twice.
 
When the South Texas dust had cleared, West Alabama had defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville. 31-22, to start the season 4-0 for the first time since 1982. The Javelinas of the Lone Star Conference dropped to 1-3.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville had twice cut the West Alabama led to less than a touchdown in the second half on touchdown passes by Myles Carr. Hill answered both by returning the ensuing kickoffs 74 and 78 yards for touchdowns, effectively putting the game away for West Alabama.
 
"I wouldn't call them big plays. Maybe it was just my time to shine," Hill said. "I try to hit a home run every time I get the opportunity. That was born in me and stressed throughout my high school days.
 
"On the first return the coaches told me to just go make a play. The guys made a seam and that's all I need," Hill said. "The second one was blocked so well all I had to do was run."
 
Four games into the 2015 season Hill has returned two kickoffs and two punts for scores. In last week's win at Miles he scored on a 65-yard catch and run.
 
"You can't say enough about our entire kickoff return team," UWA head coach Brett Gilliland said. "They did everything they were supposed to do and just let Ty be Ty."
 
In the first quarter Izauea Lanier blocked a Kingsville punt to set the Tigers up at the Javelina 27-yard line, but the TAMUK defense forced West Alabama to settle for a 39-yard Garrett Mattix field goal with exactly 10 minutes left in the fist quarter to open the scoring.
 
That was the first of four field goals by Mattix, who added three-pointers from 33, 27 and 41 yards for a career night for the senior from Huntsville, Alabama.
 
"I felt good during the game after having a bad warmup session, so I had to get refocused" Mattix said. "I have lived for this situation and wanted to be able to make big kicks and contribute."
 
Despite trailing 3-0 after 15 minutes, Texas A&M-Kingsville limited West Alabama to 16 yards of total offense in the first quarter. The Tigers finished with just 202 yards and an average gain of 3.1 yards per play.
"We knew they were good up front," Gilliland said. "We have to get all 11 guys on the same page and we will keep working to do that."
 
A West Alabama defense that leads the nation in rushing defense stood the test, limited the Javelinas to just 50 yards in 25 rushing attempts.
 
"Everybody has bought in to what we are doing and there is a great bond we have formed, not just as a defense, but as a whole team," Lanier said. "In football big plays are going to happen. We have to make our share of them."
 
Jared Washington blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt off the foot of Julio De la Garza early in the second quarter to keep TAMUK off the scoreboard. The blocked field goal was Washington's second this season.
 
A 23-yard punt return from Hill and a pair of major penalties by Texas A&M-Kingsville set West Alabama up at the Javelina 7-yard line with 8:18 left in the first half. Two plays later Dezmon Huntley scored on a 4-yard quarterback keeper. Mattix's PAT was blocked and the Tigers led 9-0 with 7:35 left in the half.
 
The Javelinas got on the scoreboard on the next drive when Carr connected with Jordan Thomas on a 38-yard scoring pass with 6:23 left in the first half. Carr completed a pair of 38-yard passes on the 84-yard scoring drive that cut the UWA led to 9-7.
 
Carr completed 25-of-47 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted twice. West Alabama forced three turnovers and blocked a pair of kicks. Chris Davis and Brandon Lilly had interceptions. Davis also blocked a kick.
 
A 33-yard field goal by Mattix with 40 seconds left in the second period gave West Alabama a 12-7 lead at halftime. A 27-yard field goal by Mattix stretched the UWA lead to 15-7 with 4:24 to play in the third period.
 
Tyreek Hill stretched the West Alabama lead back to 22-13 when he returned the ensuring kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown, weaving and dodging – starting and stopping –  his way through the Javelinas.
 
Carr kept the TAMUK offense on his back on the next drive, capping a nine-play, 62-yard drive with a 28-yard TD pass to Anthony Autry. Davis blocked the extra point attempt and UWA led 22-19 with 12:24 to play.
 
Hill wasn't done, however. He took the ensuring kickoff 78 yards for his second touchdown of the the game and the Tigers led 28-19 following the missed PAT.
 
Garza made a 24-yard field goal to trim the West Alabama lead to 28-22, but Mattix provided the final margin with his 41-yarder with 2:03 to play.
 
Lanier and Taderion Myhand had seven tackles each to pace the Tiger defense. Lanier broke up four passes and Felix Woods had five tackles and a fumble recovery.
 
West Alabama opens Gulf South Conference play Saturday when No. 3 West Georgia visits Tiger Stadium for a 2 p.m. kickoff.