SAM HOUSTON STATE PULLS AWAY FROM BRONCS, 7-2

Feb. 6, 2004

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EDINBURG, TX - For seven innings, The University of Texas-Pan American's baseball team and Sam Houston State battled on virtually even terms in the second game of the UTPA/Al Ogletree Classic Friday evening. Then the Bearkats broke the game open with four runs in the top of the eighth inning and went on to a 7-2 victory over the Broncs at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

SHSU center fielder Roy Merritt and first baseman Jonathan Stone sandwiched singles around a walk to catcher Andrew Kasparek, loading the bases against senior reliever Johnny Gibson (Sachse, TX/Naaman Forest HS/Collin County CC). Designated hitter Dominic Garcia singled for one run, left fielder Dustin Martin greeted freshman reliever Chad Linder (Reklaw, TX/Rusk HS) with another run-scoring single, and two more runs scored on fielder's choices before sophomore reliever Aaron Guerra (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg HS) retired second baseman Josh Aranda on a fly ball to end the inning.

Texas-Pan American had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when sophomore center fielder Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) scored from third base on a wild pitch by starter and winner Ryan Rafferty. The Bearkats tied the score in the third on a wild pitch by UTPA junior starter Nick Gregory (Mesquite, TX/North Mesquite HS/Angelina College), then scored twice in the fourth on Aranda's infield hit and an error by junior third baseman Ricky Broyles (Longview, TX/Spring Hill HS/Northeast Texas CC).

The Broncs scored again in the fourth. Freshman designated hitter Ryan Grimet (Pearland, TX/Pearland HS) and senior catcher Ben DiOrio (Canon City, CO/Canon City HS/Seward County CC) led off with walks, and Flowers beat out an infield hit to load the bases. Grimet scored when Rafferty threw the ball away past third base. Texas-Pan American hit into two double plays and left seven runners on base.

"Nick Gregory pitched a heck of a game, and we had our opportunities, but we couldn't take advantage of them," said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. "Our bullpen didn't come through in the eighth inning, but they also hit some balls that didn't make it out of the infield and were too slow to turn a double play. They scored some of their runs without hitting the ball out of the infield. We didn't hit the ball as we needed to. We only got four hits, and we had situations with runners on base where we needed someone to step up and get a big hit, and it didn't happen."

Gregory took the loss, falling to 0-1, while Rafferty won and improved to 1-0. Chris Gressett earned his first save with three innings of scoreless relief.

The Broncs fell to 2-3 with the loss, which ended their two-game winning streak, while SHSU improved to 1-0. Texas-Pan American will return to action when they play Kansas at 5:00 p.m. Sam Houston State and Lamar will play at 9:00 Saturday evening.

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