DALLAS – Junior Freddy Rojas Jr. homered for the fifth-straight game, but The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team dropped the opener of a four-game series to the Dallas Baptist University Patriots, a team receiving votes in the latest USA Today Coaches and NCBWA polls, 10-2 on Thursday at Horner Ballpark.
 
Rojas hit a solo shot in the ninth inning to complete the scoring. A reigning Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week, Rojas homered in all four games last weekend at Dixie State, including a grand slam, a pair of two-run home runs and a solo shot.
 
The Vaqueros (11-10) scored their first run on a home run by graduate student Conrado Diaz, his third of the season, making the score 1-1 in the third.
 
That was it against Kyle Rich (3-0), who scattered two hits and three walks while striking out eight in 6.0 innings
 
The Patriots (12-6) pushed across their first run in the second on a single by Austin Bell against senior Kevin Stevens (2-3).
 
Then, with the scored tied in the third, George Specht gave the Patriots the lead for good with a home run to right field.
 
Ryan Wrobleski followed with a three-run home run in the fifth to make the score 5-1.
 
Bell added another RBI-single in the sixth.
 
In the seventh, Jackson Glenn hit an infield RBI-single, Cole Moore lifted a sacrifice fly, Andrew Benefield drove-in a run with a fielder's choice, and then Bell brought home a run with a groundout to make the score 10-1.
 
Bell finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Jace Grady also went 3-for-4, scoring twice.
 
UTRGV and Dallas Baptist play game two of this four-game series on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Fans can watch online at PatriotBroadcastingNetwork.com.

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