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EDINBURG – Sophomore Johnny Gonzalez (1-1) struck out eight over 8.1 innings to lead the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team to a 3-1 home opening win over the Washington State University Cougars in the first game of the Al Ogletree Classic on Thursday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
 
The Western Athletic Conference is now 4-1 against the Pac-12 this season.
 
After spending all of last season as a late-inning reliever, this was Gonzalez's second start for the Vaqueros (1-4), and he set new carer-highs in strikeouts and innings pitched.
 
The only blemish came in the third when, with the bases loaded and two outs, the Cougars (1-4) scratched across a run on an infield-single by Patrick McGrath that made it 3-1.
 
Gonzalez exited after allowing a Justin Harrer double, but juniors Austin Kufrovich and Nikki Rowe alum Andrew Padron combined on the final two outs with Padron picking up his first save. It was his 10^th-career save, moving Padron into a tie for fourth in program history with Guadalupe Barrera (2010-13).
 
Preseason All-American Ian Hamilton (0-2) retired five of the first six batters he faced, but with senior Scott Mercer at second and two down in the second, freshman Anthony Gomez hit a chopper to third. He narrowly beat the throw and ran into McGrath's glove, knocking the ball free and allowing Mercer to score. One batter later, junior Joseph Collazo hit a two-run single to make it 3-0.
 
That was it against Hamilton, who allowed five hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings.
 
The Vaqueros continue the Al Ogletree Classic on Friday at 7 p.m. when they play host to Prairie View A&M. It's the second game of a doubleheader, as Washington State faces Houston Baptist at 3. Gates open at 2.

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