Feb. 20, 2007
Box Score
The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team handed Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi its first loss of the season when it downed the Islanders by 5-3 count at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium in Edinburg, TX, on Tuesday (Feb. 20).
The Broncs improved to 5-7 on the season with the victory while the Islanders dropped to 9-1.
UTPA opened up scoring in the bottom of the first inning on a fielding error by Jason Graham that allowed senior Osiel Flores (Mission, TX/UT-Brownsville) to score from third base, making score 1-0.
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi responded when Jon Kourie blasted a three-run shot over left center, driving in Chase Williams and Chris Widner to earn three RBI and put his team ahead 3-1 going into the bottom of the second inning.
The Broncs scored one run in the second inning when the Islander's starting pitcher Matt Wilson walked Flores with the bases loaded, sending in Abraham Garcia (McAllen, TX/McAllen Memorial H.S.). UTPA added another run to their total in the third frame when Garcia singled through the right side, plating Patrick Brooks (Vallejo, CA/Santa Rosa J.C.) who originally made it on base after being walked.
With the game tied 3-3, senior centerfielder Leighton Autrey (Stephenville, TX/Navarro J.C.) hit his second game-winning single of the season, driving in Blake Whittlesey (Marble Falls, TX/UT-Brownsville) and Garcia to put the game at 5-3.
Ray Silva (Clearlake, CA/Santa Rosa J.C.) closed out the game for UTPA, pitching one inning, allowing two hits from the five batters he faced.
Earning the win for the Broncs was freshman Bryce Smolen (Houston, TX/Lamar H.S.) who went 6.0 innings on the mound for UTPA, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out four of the 27 batters faced. Wilson gets tagged with the loss, giving up five runs in his six innings on the mound while striking out four Bronc batters and walking six.
Garcia picked up two hits in three at-bats for UTPA while Flores added an RBI to his team-leading eight on the season.
The Broncs take to the diamond again when they head to Huntsville, TX, to take-on Sam Houston State in a three-game series beginning on Friday (Feb. 23).
UTPA Sports Information
