April 17, 2010

Final Stats

Despite heavy rains and lightening, the UTPA baseball program (11-19, 1-6) split Saturday's doubleheader with North Dakota as the Broncs dropped the first 9-8 and won 2-1 in game two.

North Dakota 9, UTPA 8
Texas-Pan American owned a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the second, but allowed North Dakota to score seven in the fourth to trail by two. UTPA scored four runs in the second on a bases loaded walk, RBI single, fielder's choice, and a sacrifice bunt. Ryan Vest, Alex San Juan, Garrett Bivone, and Vincent Mejia scored respectively.

Starting pitcher Scott Wingo gave up the seven runs in the fourth, but received a no decision. Wingo pitched 3 2/3 innings, while striking out three, walking one, and giving up eight runs, three earned, on eight hits.

UTPA came back to tie the score in the sixth all by Vincent Mejia. Mejia first tripled to left center on a 2-0 count and then scored on a wild pitch by North Dakota's Jameson Benson.

The Broncs managed to hold off the Fighting Sioux with two more pitching changes - Kyle Kotchie and Guadalupe Barrera - but UND squeezed by in extra innings (9th) as pinch runner David Dafforn scored on a RBI single by Josh Nelson.

Vincent Mejia finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, three runs, a double, and a triple. Garrett Bivone was a perfect 1-for-1 but was walked four consecutive times and scored three times. Broncs closer Guadalupe Barrera was tagged with the loss in 2 1/3 innings of work. Barrera fanned three and walked one.

North Dakota's Jabby Bakhit went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base.

UTPA 2, North Dakota 1
Game 2 was off to another slow start for both clubs with a tied score in the bottom of the sixth. North Dakota scored on a RBI single by Kris Kwak. Texas-Pan American answered back in the bottom sixth on a RBI single by Angel Ibanez driving in Vincent Mejia from second.

With two outs on the board in the bottom of the seventh, Stuart MacInnes singled down the leftfield line driving in Abraham Garcia from second to give UTPA the 2-1 advantage.

With heavy rains on the way, game two was called with eight innings played.

Vincent Mejia finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and Abraham Garcia 1-for-3 with a run scored. In his first start, freshman Luis Flores notched his first win in eight innings of work. Flores struck out four, walked one, and gave up one run on five hits.

North Dakota's Derek Biermaier was tagged with the loss in seven innings of work.

Tomorrow's final game is still undecided due to weather conditions. Sunday's scheduled start time is 12 noon at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

UTPA Media Relations