April 21, 2008
The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs captured two of three games against Prairie View A&M when they collected a 11-5 win on Sunday (Apr. 20) at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
With the victory, the Broncs improved to 14-25 on the season while the Panthers fell to 18-20 overall.
The Broncs were led offensively by Bonham Hough who went 2-for-3 with three RBI's and two runs scored including a three-run blast to left field. The Broncs had two other players finish with multi-hit performances in Ryan Vest and newcomer Andrew Perez.
Collecting his 30th, 31st and 32nd stolen base of the season was Roly Gonzalez, who currently leads the nation in stolen bases. Gonzalez finished with six total stolen bases in the three-game series against PVAM.
Both teams kept each other scoreless in four innings, until the Panthers produced a run in the fifth following a Rashad While solo homerun to left field, to make the score 1-0.
The Broncs fired back in the bottom half of the inning when Nick Spears led off with a single to right center, advanced to third following a single by Perez and both scored on a three-run shot to left center by Hough, making the score 3-1.
PVAM followed the Broncs three-run inning with a run in the sixth when Myrio Richard homered to left field, to cut deficit to 3-2.
The Broncs took control of the game producing back-to-back four run innings in the seventh and eighth inning.
Collecting his fourth homerun of the season and producing the Broncs first run of the seventh was Perez, who homered to left field. The inning continued as PVAM's pitching began to struggle, issuing consecutive walks to Jeremy Johnson and Hough.
Johnson came around to score following a single to right field by Gonzalez. With Hough and Gonzalez at the corners, a double steal attempt by the Broncs proved successful as Hough crossed home plate. Vest drove in the Broncs fourth run in the inning with a single to left field, scoring Gonzalez and making the score 7-2.
Behind good pitching and a solid Broncs defense, the Panthers were held scoreless in the eighth.
The Broncs added four runs on two hits in the bottom half of the inning when PVAM seemed to fall apart. Ruben Shives Jr. advanced to first on a hit-by-pitch, moved to second when Perez reached on an error by the third baseball and scored when Johnson singled to third base.
Panther's pitcher Terry Salter issued a walk to Hough, loading the bases for the Broncs. A fielder's choice by Gonzalez scored Perez from third base and a Vest single would plate Gonzalez and Johnson, to make the score 11-2.
PVAM connected on three runs on two hits in the final inning but it wouldn't be enough as the Broncs secured two of the three games.
Matt Shepherd improved his record to 4-3 on the season, pitching seven innings, allowing eight hits, two runs - all earned while only walking three Panther batters and striking out three.
The Broncs will be back in action on Tuesday (Apr. 22) in a double-header against Southland Conference-foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christ with game time slated for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
UTPA Sports Information
