April 11, 2008
The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team broke a eight game skid with a 17-11 victory over Texas Southern on Friday (Apr. 11) in Houston, TX at the MacGregor Park.
With the win, the Broncs improved to 10-22 while the Tigers fell to 8-21 on the season.
Earning his third win of the season was Broncs hurler Matt Shepherd. Shepherd pitched 5.2 innings, allowing nine hits, seven runs - five earned while striking out five batters.
The Broncs quickly got on the board in the first inning when Billy Donaho reached on a walk and scored on aJordan Rutenbar homerun, his fourth of the year, making the score 2-0.
The Tigers plated a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning following a single to left center by Earnest Rhone Jr. which scored Kyle Smith who reached on a single up the middle.
UTPA added a pair of runs in back-to-back innings and five runs in the fourth inning, to make the score 11-1.
The five runs in the fourth inning came off of four hits which started off with a single to third base by Jeremy Johnson. Ryan Vest reached on a walk, Johnson stole second and scored on a single to shortstop by Rutenbar. In the same inning, Bonham Hough kept things going with a single to right field, scoring Vest from second base. With the bases loaded, newcomer Andrew Perez singled scoring two runs.
After scoring two runs in the sixth, the Broncs found themselves in trouble when the Tigers collected six runs on five hits in the bottom half of the inning, to cut the deficit 13-7.
The Tigers recorded a single, two doubles, a triple and a three-run homerun which put pressure on the Broncs.
The Broncs bats continued to come through collecting two runs in the seventh and two runs in the final inning to close out the first game of the three game series, 17-11.
Offensively the Broncs were led by Rutenbar who finished 3-for-5 with three RBI's and three runs scored while five other Broncs finished with multi-hit performances.
The Broncs will be back in action tomorrow afternoon where they will play game two at 1 p.m. of the three game series with the Tigers.
UTPA Sports Information
