Feb. 7, 2004

EDINBURG, TX-On a night when they honored the 1971 baseball team that advanced to the College World Series, The University of Texas-Pan American's baseball team put on their throwback uniforms and staged a comeback to defeat Kansas on the second day of action at the UTPA/Al Ogletree Classic. The Broncs scored eight consecutive runs to overcome a 5-0 deficit and held off the Jayhawks, 8-6.

Trailing, 5-0, Texas-Pan American got on the board in the fifth. Senior first baseman Ben DiOrio (Canon City, CO/Canon City HS/Seward County CC) singled, senior right fielder Matt Sisk (Fort Worth, TX/Arlington Heights HS/New Mexico) walked, and junior catcher Matt Eichel (Grapevine, TX/Grapevine HS) singled to load the bases with none out. Junior shortstop Aaron Flowers (Rowlett, TX/Rowlett HS/Northeast Texas CC) bounced into a fielder's choice to drive home one run, and junior third baseman Ricky Broyles (Longview, TX/Spring Hill HS/Northeast Texas CC) followed with a two-run single to make it 5-3.

The Broncs struck again in the sixth. Junior center fielder Tony Ortiz (Fort Worth, TX/Nolan HS) walked, and Sisk singled him to second with two out. Walks to Eichel and Flowers plated one run, and a single by sophomore left fielder T.J. Gilmer (Forney, TX/Forney HS) put UTPA ahead, 6-5.

Texas-Pan American added a pair of runs in the eighth. Diorio walked and Sisk sacrificed, but reached on an error. Eichel's double down the left field line scored both runners. Kansas got a run in the ninth on a single by catcher Sean Richardson, but Broyles, who came in to pitch in the ninth, struck out first baseman Ryan Baty with two men on base to end the game.

KU scored a run in the first without the benefit of a hit on a throwing error by starting pitcher John Lopez (Jr. Mission, TX/Mission HS), then added three more in the third on Ryan Baty's RBI single and a two-run triple by right fielder Matt Tribble. Baty's run-scoring single in the fifth chased Lopez in favor of freshman reliever Cesar Pena (Harlingen, TX/Harlingen South HS), who pitched 3 2/3 scoreless inning before turning mound duties over to Broyles to begin the ninth.
"We got behind early, but we came back," said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. "Our guys did a great job. Cesar came in and pitched well in relief, Ben DiOrio made a great backhand play at third base, Matt Sisk made a big catch in right field, and we got some big hits."

Gawlik said the win was especially significant, since it came just before the 1971 CWS team was honored. "It was a great honor to be a part of a team like that, and it's something that no one can ever take away from you," said Gawlik. "In order to accomplish something like that, it takes a lot of hard work."

Pena earned the win in relief, and improved to 2-0, while KU starter Chris Smart took the loss and fell to 2-2. The Broncs improved to 3-3 with the victory, while the Jayhawks fell to 7-4. Texas-Pan American will conclude tournament action against Lamar Sunday at 3:00 p.m. after Kansas plays Sam Houston State at 12 noon.