May 23, 2008
The University Texas-Pan American Broncs collected their second win of the National Independent Tournament when they posted a 7-6 victory over NYIT on Friday night at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
With the second win of the tournament, the Broncs improved to 20-34 overall while the Bears fell to 19-32-2 on the season.
Two scoreless innings started game eight of the National Independent Tournament until NYIT got on board in the bottom of the third with two hits. With two outs in the frame, Mike LaLuna doubled down the left field line and scored on a Effrey Valdez single to left center, to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
The Broncs produced a huge three-run fifth inning on two hits, to take a 3-1 advantage. Senior Jeremy Johnson led off with walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bonham Hough, tying the game at 1-1. The inning continued when Billy Donaho doubled down the left field line, moved to third on a balk and scored on a With runners on the corners, a double steal attempt by the Broncs proved successful which scored Jordan Rutenbar, making the score 3-1.
NYIT found the same luck as the Broncs, plating four runs on four hits in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead 5-3. Christian Dienna led off with a single to left field, advanced to second when Denten Neill was hit in the face by a Matt Shepherd pitch. With runners on first and second, Brian Smith loaded the bases with a single to left field. A LaLuna three-run RBI triple cleared the bases and made room for a Valdez single to left field, plating LaLuna from third.
After a scoreless sixth inning by both teams, UTPA recording three runs on four hits in the seventh, to retake a 6-5 lead. Rutenbar led off with a walk, moved to second on NYIT's second balk of the game and crossed home plate on a Jose Mendoza single to left field. With two outs in the inning and one run shy of tying the game, a single to center field by Johnson scored Nick Bourn, which tied the game at 5-5. Senior Roly Gonzalez plated UTPA's go ahead run with a single to left field, scoring Andrew Perez.
The Bears were held silent in the bottom of the seventh which left the door open for the Broncs to collected a run in the top of the eighth frame.
A single to right field by Donaho started off the top of the inning and would later score on a sacrifice fly out to left field by Nick Spears, giving the Broncs some breathing room with a 7-5 lead.
The Broncs were given a scare when NYIT produced a single run on two hits in the bottom half of the frame. An infield single by George Carroll with one out put the Bears in position for a Smith single to center field, scoring Carroll and cutting the deficit 7-6.
The insurance run would be all the Broncs would need to secure their 20th victory of the season and their second of the National Independent Tournament.
Donaho led the Broncs offensively with a 2-for-5 performance with two runs scored while Bourn went 2-for-3 with one run scored and two walks.
Matt Shepherd recorded his fifth win for the Broncs, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing six hits and five runs. Evan Cunningham collected his fourth save of the season, pitching 5.0 innings
The Broncs will be back in action tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium when they face off against Houston Baptist.
UTPA Sports Information
