April 8, 2006
Box Score
The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs split two games in a doubleheader with the Birmingham-Southern College Panthers on Saturday (Apr. 8) in Birmingham, AL.
In game one, starter Dane Mason (Marlton, NJ/Oklahoma State) stymied the Panthers over eight innings as the Broncs put up just enough offense to win the game.
After the first six innings failed to see a run scored in the game, the Broncs got on the board in the top of seventh. Patrick Brooks (Vallejo, CA/Santa Rosa J.C.) led the inning off with a single and was then moved up to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Smith (Sanger, TX/Sanger H.S.). UTPA then rallied with two outs as Brooks crossed the plate on an Abraham Garcia (McAllen, TX/McAllen Memorial H.S.) single to right field. A few batters later, Jason Buhagiar (Penngrove, CA/Santa Rosa J.C.) drove a two-run double to right-center field for a 3-0 lead.
Mason allowed the only BSC run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on a solo home run. Tim Haines (Mission, TX/Blinn College) came on in the ninth to close out the game for UTPA, giving up one hit and stranding two runners on base.
Garcia was 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and one run batted in and was the only Bronc hitter with multiple hits in the game. Buhagiar was 1-for-3 in the game with two RBI.
Mason improved his season record to 5-3 on the season with the victory, allowing just one earned run on seven hits while striking out six and walking none. Haines picked up his seventh save, tying him for the most saves in a career in UTPA history at 13.
In game two, the Panthers jumped on starter Ricky Ibarz (Caracas, Venezuela/New Mexico J.C.) in the first inning, scoring a pair of runs on four hits. The Broncs pulled within one in the top of the second when Garcia scored on a passed ball. BSC followed that with three more hits in the second inning for one run. UTPA would again close the gap to one in the third as Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North H.S.) and Brooks hit back-to-back doubles to score Alamia.
Birmingham-Southern put the game out of reach after that, scoring four runs in the fourth and fifth innings for a 7-2 lead. UTPA fought back over the final three innings with a Brooks home run in the seventh, a bases loaded walk in the eighth and a Chris Lozano (El Paso, TX/Phoenix College) RBI fielder's choice in the ninth, bringing the score to 7-5.
In the second game, Brooks was 3-for-4, including a home run and a double, with one run scored and three RBI. T.J. Gilmer (Forney, TX/Forney H.S.) enjoyed a 4-for-5 game while Osiel Flores (Mission, TX/UT-Brownsville) and Lozano were both 2-for-4.
Alamia extended his hitting streak to 14 games as he collected a single hit in both games on the day.
Ibarz allowed gave up 10 hits and six earned runs in just four innings of work, striking out three and issuing one walk.
The Broncs' record now sits at 16-22. The 16 wins surpasses the mark of 15 wins from last season.
UTPA and Birmingham-Southern close out their three-game set on Sunday (Apr. 9) at 10:00 a.m.
UTPA Sports Information
