Box Score

JACKSON, Miss. – Sophomore Victor Garcia Jr. hit a two-run double in the ninth, but was stranded at third as the University of Texas-Pan American Broncs baseball team dropped its season opener 6-5 to the Jackson State University Tigers in game one of the JSU Tournament on Friday at Robert Braddy Field.
 
With the Broncs (0-1) trailing 6-3 to open the ninth, freshman McAllen Memorial alum Manny Loredo drew a leadoff walk. One out later, senior Jesus Garcia reached on an error. After a passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, Victor Garcia doubled to make it a one-run game. After junior Cole Loncar walked, Alexander Juday got juniors Correy Davis and Scott Mercer to hit back-to-back ground balls to end the game and pick up the save.
 
That made a winner of Tigers (1-0) starter Rene Colon (1-0), who allowed three runs (two earned) in seven innings, scattering seven hits and one walk while striking out three.
 
Senior Blake English (0-1) started for the Broncs, going the first six innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out two.
 
The Broncs got off to a good start, scoring immediately when Davis singled home Jesus Garcia. In the bottom of the inning, however, the Tigers created a run to tie it when Gary Thomas reached on an infield-single, stole second, was sacrificed to third, and scored on a Melvin Rodriguez sacrifice fly.
 
Jovany Felipe provided two of the next three runs for the Tigers, with an RBI-groundout in the second and an RBI-single in the fourth. The Tigers also scored a run on a throwing error in the fourth.
 
In the seventh, sophomore Jacob Huckabay and senior Logan Landon hit back-to-back doubles to make it a two-run game. Then, after a single by Loredo moved Landon to third, junior Tony Roque hit an RBI-single to make it 4-3.
 
Huckabay and Victor Garcia each finished with two hits.
 
Freshman Robert Quinonez came on in relief for the Broncs in the seventh and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the eighth, however, the first two runners reached. Junior Matt Rigby came in and, after a sacrifice bunt, Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly and Tilur Smith hit an RBI-single to make it 6-3.
 
The Broncs are currently facing the University of Tennessee at Martin in the second game of the tournament.

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