BOX SCORE

EDINBURG, TEXAS – The University of Texas Pan American baseball team split the four-game series with the New Jersey Institute of Technology after suffer a 6-5 loss in extra innings Sunday afternoon at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

The Highlanders (8-21, 2-6) got the scoring started in the top of the third against Jonathan Delgado. Bryan Bleakley hit a two-out single and then moved to second on an infield single by Anthony Caiola. A fielding error then allowed John Bouck to reach which allowed Bleakley to score. Tyler Kapp then followed with a two-run single to center field allowing Caiola and Bouck to score giving NJIT the 3-0 lead.

UTPA (16-12, 6-2) answered in the bottom of the second against Tripp Davis (3-4). Mike McCarthy led off the inning with single and then moved to third after a throwing error which put runners and second and third with no outs. Colton Van Komen then drove in a run with an RBI groundout that allowed McCarthy to score from third. Iradier Hernandez followed with an RBI single to left field scoring Stuart MacInnes cutting NJIT's lead 3-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, a throwing error by the Highlanders' defense allowed Roger Bernal to reach to start the inning. Angel Ibanez then hit an RBI double to left center field that allowed Bernal to score from first base tying the game at three. With Ibanez taking third on the throw, Vincent Mejia followed with an RBI single to left scoring Ibanez and giving UTPA the 4-3 advantage.

Bouck started the top of the seventh inning for NJIT with a single to right field but a throwing error by the Broncs allowed him to move to third. Kapp then hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Bouck to score tying the game at four.

The Broncs regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth when Adrian De La Rosa hit a two-out single to center field that allowed Van Komen to score making it 5-4.

The Highlanders answered back in the top of the ninth against the Broncs' bullpen. Bleakley started the inning with a single and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Bouck was hit by a pitch, Matt Tomczyk hit a two-out RBI single that allowed Bleakley to score tying the game at five.

After UTPA did not score a run in the bottom of the ninth, NJIT took the lead in the top of the 10th against Jonathan Sa (2-1) when Bleakley drove in the go ahead run with a bases loaded walk giving the Highlanders the 6-5 edge.

Tomczyk worked around runners at second and third and closed the ball game picking up his first save of the season and giving the Highlanders the 6-5 victory.

Delgado did not factor in the decision but pitched well after going eight innings and allowing four runs, none of which were earned, and striking out a season high nine hitters.

The Broncs will hit the road April 19th as they travel north to Austin, Texas to face the University of Texas Longhorns in a one game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I classification. UTPA, formerly known as Pan American College and Pan American University, is a part of the University of Texas System of Schools. The Broncs compete in 14 varsity sports; men's and women's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, along with women's volleyball and men's baseball. In 1963, then known as Pan American College, the Broncs men's basketball program won the NAIA National Championship with a 73-62 victory over Western Carolina. In 2008 UTPA joined the new all-sports division of the Great West Conference.