March 7, 2004
Box Score
Edinburg, Texas - Texas-Pan American (9-10) used a strong fourth inning to turn back Arkansas (11-5) 11-4, for the second time this season. The Broncs were up 4-3 before scoring five runs in the fourth to break it open. The Razorbacks were hitting .323 coming into the weekend but hit only .152 (9-of-59) against UTPA.
Arkansas broke the ice first in its opening at-bat. Blake Parker singled to left field to drive in Casey Rowlett. The Broncs came back in the bottom of the first. Louie Alamia (So./Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg North HS) singled to left center. T.J. Gilmer (So./Forney, Texas/Forney HS) singled down the right field line and Alamia went to third. Marco Garza (Jr./Mission, Texas/Sharyland HS) singled to right field to score Alamia. A passed ball moved Gilmer to third and Garza to second. After a strike out and a fly out, the shortstop misplayed a ball hit by Matt Sisk (Sr./Fort Worth, Texas/Arlington Heights HS). That error allowed Gilmer and Garza to score.
In the second inning, Haas Pratt singled through the left side to score Brett Hagedorn and make it 3-2. UTPA countered in the third inning as Garza reached base on an error. The pitcher, Clint Brannon, attempted to pick off Garza but his throw sailed down the right field line and Garza made it to third. Juan Saenz (Jr./Mission, Texas/Mission HS) grounded out to shortstop to score Garza, making it 4-2.
Arkansas refused to quit. With runners on the corners, Bubbs Merrill flew out to left field to score Parker. Texas-Pan American busted the game open in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Aaron Flowers (Jr./Rowlett, Texas/Northeast Texas CC) doubled down the left field line. Following a fly out, Alamia drew a walk. Gilmer then took a pitch over the left field bullpen fence for a three-run blast. Garza singled and then stole second and third. Saenz singled to right field to score Garza. Saenz then scored off a double to left center by Tony Ortiz (Jr./Fort Worth, Texas/Nolan HS).
In the seventh inning, Alamia doubled down the left field line to score Matt Eichel (Jr./Grapevine, Texas/Grapevine HS) and Ricky Broyles (Jr./Longview, Texas/Northeast Texas CC). The Razorbacks got a run in the ninth off a sacrifice fly but that was it.
For UTPA, Alamia was 2-for-3, scored two runs and drove in two, Gilmer was 3-for-5, scored two runs and drove in three while Garza was 2-for-5, scored three runs and drove in one. Tommy Sorden (Sr./Austin, Texas/Navarro College) went to 2-1 as he threw the first complete game of the season. He went nine innings, giving up six hits, four runs and striking out two. He surrendered only one hit and one run over the last five innings.
For Arkansas, Parker was 2-for-3, scored two runs and drove in one while Merrill drove in two runs. Brannon dropped to 0-1 as he gave up three hits, four runs and struck out two in three innings.
"This was a great weekend for UTPA baseball" Said head coach Willie Gawlik. "We won two games from a very good team. It was an outstanding pitching performance for Tommy. In the ninth inning, I came to the first base line and asked if he wanted to come out. He told me he wanted to finish it and he did. When you throw strikes, you are able to play defense better. I thought we had great defense today. Marco made several great plays. T.J. knocked a ball down in left field that allowed us to get the batter out at second. The top three hitters in our line-up were 7-of-13 with seven runs and six RBI's. T.J.'s home run was awesome. We are going to enjoy this one today and then get ready for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday."
