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EDINBURG – Junior Jose Garcia celebrated Jackie Robinson Day by stealing home in the eighth inning to break a tie and send the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team to a 2-1 victory over the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
 
Garcia led off the eighth with a single to center before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Junior Joseph Collazo followed by popping out to first, but when Luis Calvo tried to throw behind Garcia at second, the ball went into the outfield, allowing Garcia to advance to third. Garcia then took advantage of having a lefty on the mound, stealing home against Zach Muckenhirn (2-5) to score the winning run.
 
Garcia scored the Vaqueros' (15-14, 4-3 WAC) first run as well, reaching on an error in the first, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a wild pitch, and home on a Collazo groundout.
 
Garcia finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
 
Muckenhirn pitched a complete game, scattering four hits and one walk while striking out three.
 
The Fighting Hawks (6-19, 3-7 WAC) scored their lone run in the third on a two-out single by Brett Harrison.
 
Sophomore Johnny Gonzalez struck out nine in 7.1 innings of work.
 
Junior Eddie Delgado (1-1) pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief for the win.
 
The Vaqueros and Fighting Hawks play the middle game of this three-game series on Saturday at 6 p.m. during Selena Night at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a Selena Night poster. Additionally, there will be Selena music, videos, and trivia throughout the game. The game will be broadcast live throughout Texas on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel Alternate (825). Gates open at 5.

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