March 20, 2008
After dropping two straight games in San Antonio, TX, the Broncs took full advantage of playing at home and collected a 10-2 victory against Houston Baptist on Thursday night.
With the win, the Broncs improved their overall record to 6-12 on the season while the Huskies dropped to 11-11 overall.
The Broncs jumped on the Huskies in the bottom of the first when senior Roly Gonzalez led things off with a single to center field then advanced to second on a stolen base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A fielders choice by Jose Mendoza would plate Gonzalez and put the Broncs up 1-0.
After two scoreless innings, the Broncs would drive in run in the fourth inning when Joe B. Gutierrez singled to right field and eventually scored on a Ryan Vest sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 2-0.
The Broncs would continue the hitting rally, collecting four hits and driving in three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Andrew Perez would lead things off with a double down the left field line and would later score off a two RBI double by Gonzalez. The Broncs left fielder would cross home plate off a wild pitch by Huskies' pitcher Matthew Headley to put the Broncs up 5-0.
The Broncs would capitalize on a pitching change in the bottom of the sixth inning adding two more runs to the scoreboard off of two hits.
Houston Baptist lit up the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the seventh after an error by the shortstop and issued a walk by Bronc hurler Matt Shepherd to make the score 7-2.
The Broncs would answer right back in the bottom half of the inning recording three hits and plating three runs. That would be all the Broncs would need to seal their sixth victory of the season.
Matt Shepherd earned the victory, improving to 1-1 on the season for pitching six strong innings, allowing only four hits, two runs - one earned while walking one batter and striking out six.
Headley gets the loss for the Huskies for five innings of work, allowing seven hits, five runs - four earned.
Offensively the Broncs were led by Gonzalez who finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI's to go with three runs scored. All nine starters finished with at least one hit and Gutierrez and Mendoza finished with multi-hit performances along with Gonzalez.
The Broncs will be back in action tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium, as they look to close out their two-game series with Houston Baptist.
UTPA Sports Information
