March 6, 2004

Box Score

Edinburg, Texas - For the second straight weekend, Texas-Pan American (8-10) started off a home series with a win. The Broncs knocked off Arkansas (11-4), 4-1 in a game of pitching. The Razorbacks came into the game hitting .323 but were held to just .103 (3-of-29) tonight.

Texas-Pan American drew first blood in the second inning. Marco Garza (Jr./Mission, Texas/Sharyland HS) walked and then stole second. He advanced to third on a ground out. Matt Eichel (Jr./Grapevine, Texas/Grapevine HS) singled to left center to drive in Garza.

In the fourth inning, Eichel led off with a single through the right side. A sacrifice bunt and a ground out put him in scoring position. Ricky Broyles's (Jr./Longview, Texas/Northeast CC) grounder was misplayed by the shortstop, allowing Eichel to score and make it 2-0.

Arkansas made a run in the sixth inning. With one out, Haas Pratt singled and Devin Day was hit by a pitch. Matt Sisk (Sr./Fort Worth, Texas/Arlington Heights HS) made a great running catch in right center for the second out. After another hit batter, Chad Linder (Fr./Reklaw, Texas/Rusk HS) was brought in and he walked Jake Dugger to move Pratt across the plate. Linder came back though striking out Kern Watts to end the inning.

In the seventh inning, Louie Alamia (So./Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg North HS) singled over the shortstop's head to left center. That pushed his hitting streak to 15 games and his reaching base safely streak to 29 games. A sacrifice bunt and a ground out moved Alamia to third. Arkansas misplayed the ball hit by Garza and Alamia crossed the plate. Tony Ortiz (Jr./Fort Worth, Texas/Nolan HS) ripped a shot to left center for a double to score Garza. The Razorbacks got a double in the ninth inning but that was all they could get.

For UTPA, Eichel was 2-for-4, scored a run and drove in a run and Garza scored two runs. Juan Saenz (Jr./Mission, Texas/Mission HS) went to 3-0 as he gave up two hits, one run and struck out six in five and two-third innings. Linder gave up one hit and struck out two batters in three and one-third innings for his first save.

For Arkansas, Pratt recorded 15 put outs. Charley Boyce fell to 2-1 as he gave up four hits, two runs and struck out four in six innings.

"We beat a very good team tonight." Said head coach Willie Gawlik. "Juan threw a great game tonight. He kept Arkansas off balance with his pitching. Chad came in and did a great job as well. The game of baseball is about doing all the little things and we did that tonight. We executed on offense and defense. Louie had a clutch hit and Tony's double was a big hit. It's going to be another tough one tomorrow and we just want to execute the way we did tonight."