April 6, 2007
Box Score
The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team suffered a 14-5 setback to the University of Northern Colorado on Friday (Apr. 6) in the first game of a three-set series at Jackson Field in Greeley, CO.
The Broncs dropped their overall record to 13-23 overall during the 2007 campaign while the Bears improved to 8-17 on the season.
The Bears found their hitting stroke early and often in the first frame of the contest as Northern Colorado pounded out four hits, which allowed five runs to cross the plate. Cory Morales provided the biggest hit for the Bears as the UNCO shortstop connected on a solo home run as the number-two hitter in the lineup.
Already possessing a 5-0 advantage, the Bears added to their lead in the bottom half of the second inning when Northern Colorado scored three runs in the frame en route to taking an 8-0 lead in the contest. Grady Gorman connected on a two-run single to centerfield, which allowed Morales and Zach Brockman to both touch home plate.
The Broncs were able to get on the scoreboard in the top half of the third inning when UTPA freshman Dominic Tognietti (Katy, TX/James E. Taylor H.S.) drove in a pair of runs on a single to leftfield, which plated both Osiel Flores (Mission, TX/University of Texas-Brownsville) and Nick Bourn (San Antonio, TX/Warren H.S.). UTPA would eventually add another run in the frame to take the score to 8-3.
Adam Symons was able to regain one of those runs for the Bears in the bottom half of the third inning when he connected on a solo home run to open up the frame off of UTPA senior Alex Guajardo (La Joya, TX/La Joya H.S.)
Northern Colorado added two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning when Kevin Sandberg opened up the frame with a triple then was driven home by a John Ray-double. Ray would eventually touch home plate on a UTPA fielding error to make the score 10-3.
The Broncs came back in the top of the seventh inning with a pair of runs scored by Bourn, who opened up the frame with a single, and Abraham Garcia (McAllen, TX/McAllen Memorial H.S.), who connected on a double in the following at-bat. With a pair of runs scored in the seventh frame, the Broncs were able to get within five runs at 10-5.
The Bears put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth inning when Northern Colorado plated four runs to make the game 14-5 before shutting out the Broncs in the top of the ninth inning en route to the victory.
Morales led the Bears with a 3-for-4 performance to go along with three RBI and two runs scored while Ray collected three hits, two runs scored and one RBI. Gorman added two hits and three RBI while Symons notched two hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
The Broncs were led offensively by Garcia and Flores, who both collected two hits in the game, while Tognietti added a pair of RBI for the Valley's squad.
Dan Kazell earned the victory for the Bears as the UNCO hurler tossed 7.0 innings of action while striking out nine hitters in the process.
Matt Shepherd (Austin, TX/Howard J.C.) dropped his record to 1-3 on the season after the UTPA junior 1.2 innings of action, giving up seven runs - all earned - to go along with four hits and four strikeouts.
The Broncs and Bears will wrap-up the three-game series at Jackson Field on Saturday (Apr. 7) with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.
UTPA Sports Information
