RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Entering the week with a combined 1.50 earned run average, the pitchers, led by the returning arms of fifth year Calen Graham and Harrison Thayer, have been dominant on the bump throughout the fall for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball program.
 
Graham, the towering 6-foot-5 right-hander, is entering his second season with UTRGV and has yet to appear in any games for the Vaqueros. However, prior to joining UTRGV, Graham had four scoreless outings for Texas State in 2024, including appearances against Kansas and Texas.
 
Thayer, entering his third year with the Vaqueros, has been a consistent arm for the squad donning the Orange and Gray, either out of the bullpen or in the starting rotation. In his sophomore season, he appeared in 15 games, starting eight, with a 6-4 record and struck out 47 batters across 61 innings pitched.
 
This summer, Thayer joined two-time SLC Player of the Year and graduate student Armani Raygoza at the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). The UTRGV teammates reunited as members of the Orleans Redbirds. Thayer made two starts across five appearances with the Redbirds, striking out nine batters across 12.2 innings pitched.
 
Thayer is the first UTRGV pitcher to appear in the CCBL since Marc Ottmers in 1992 who was drafted in the fifth round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1993. This also gave the Vaqueros their first set of teammates in the CCBL since UTRGV Hall of Famers Jesse Trinidad and Ron Edquist teamed up for Cotuit in 1975.
 
In the Thursday showcase last week, Graham pitched a perfect two innings with one strikeout and only needed 18 pitches to retire the six batters. Meanwhile, Thayer stood firm on the bump scattering two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts across a scoreless two innings of work.
 
Returning to the UTRGV fall camp, the Vaqueros geared up for their game of the week on Thursday, and the two veteran arms were slated to start the game. This time, however, it was the offense that stole the spotlight.
 
Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Rob Martinez had drilled into the offense the importance of staying disciplined, patient, and focused in at-bats and the lessons immediately paid off as the batters worked lengthy at-bats and battled into several full counts.
 
The scoring started early for Orange in the weekly intrasquad series as junior Andy Chapa led off with a single that just passed between freshman third baseman Ian Velasquez and the left field foul line. Then, a well-executed hit-and-run single by sophomore Odessa College transfer Mateo Garcia put Chapa at third as Garcia's grounder bounced into right field.
 
Cleanup hitter and standout third baseman, junior Easton Moomau lined a ball into right center field as it traveled all the way to the wall allowing Chapa and Garcia to score. Meanwhile, Moomau showed off his speed on the basepaths as he slid into third to secure the triple and put Orange up 2-0 after the top of the first.
 
Orange, starting the game with a crooked number, looked to hang a zero on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Instead, the game was flipped when the newcomers on Gray stepped up to the plate. The run started when junior Frontier Community College transfer second baseman Gael Salinas and sophomore catcher Odessa College transfer Jacob Delgadillo drew walks.
 
Then, junior Santa Ana College transfer Nate Williams, the brother of former Vaquero Thomas Williams, stepped up to the plate. Salinas stole third, then Williams rocketed a double to bring home Salinas and move Delgadillo to third.
 
Fifth year infielder from St. Edwards, Nico Ruedas, stepped up and hit a hard grounder to the short which deflected off the glove of senior Louisiana Tech transfer Nathan Houston but was backed up by Garcia who jumped, turned, and threw it to Moomau to tag out the then-lead runner Williams at third base after Delgadillo scored. Meanwhile, Ruedas made it to first on the play.
 
Freshman outfielder and La Joya alum Matthew Ortiz walked up for his first plate appearance of the day. The outfielder, primarily playing in right field, has shown off his arm in plenty of moments that won't show up on box scores, preventing runners from scoring on fly balls. This time, he showed off his strength at the plate, launching the Thayer fastball the other way, 380 feet over the right field wall to give Gray the 4-2 lead after the first inning.
 
Graham settled back in on the mound for Orange, forcing freshman outfielder Cutter Warren, brother of the 2026 Jody Ramsey Memorial Award recipient Hank Warren, into a groundout and striking out junior catcher Carlos Morales. Fifth year catcher and Angelo State transfer Christopher Bernal reached on a full count walk before being caught on the basepaths trying to steal second.
 
In the bottom of the second, Salinas stepped up with two outs posted on the scoreboard before drawing a full-count walk. Delgadillo stepped into the batter's box and hit a shot similar to Moomau's first-inning triple as his ball rolled up to the wall allowing Salinas to score and Delgadillo to get to second base. Williams delivered again lining the first pitch in his second at-bat into center field to score Delgadillo and give Gray a 6-2 lead after the second inning.
 
After weeks of strong performances from the pitching staff, Thursday's scrimmage provided an opportunity for the Vaqueros' offense to showcase its development as returning veterans and newcomers continued to build chemistry at the plate.
 
The Vaqueros will continue their fall scrimmages leading up to the annual Orange & Gray Intrasquad World Series at the conclusion of fall camp.
 
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