RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team dropped its Southland Conference (SLC) series opener Thursday, 17-9, to the Northwestern State Demons in front of 3,523 fans at UTRGV Baseball Stadium despite a late rally in the eighth inning.
Junior third baseman
Easton Moomau and junior designated hitter and PSJA High alum
Julius Ramirez led UTRGV (14-6, 9-7 SLC) going 3-for-4 with home runs. Moomau drove in three runs and scored once while hitting a two-run homer. Ramirez launched a three-run shot to finish with three RBI and two runs scored. Graduate student RHP
Sergio Lopez (2-4) took the loss pitching 4.2 innings and allowing five earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Brody Trosclair (5-1) earned the win for Northwestern State (19-10, 11-5 SLC) after throwing 5.0 innings allowing four runs on six hits with three walks, three hit batters and four strikeouts.
Lopez got the start on the bump for UTRGV and mowed the Demons down in the first couple of innings, recording three strikeouts in the first six outs while inducing two fly outs. Graduate student catcher and Edinburg Vela alum
Rudy Gonzalez caught a Demon attempting to steal second to eliminate an early baserunner in the first.
Moomau gave UTRGV a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first with a RBI single down the left field line. He extended the advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the third with a loud two-run home run into the left field bullpen.
Northwestern State found success when the lineup turned over in the fourth.
Leonard Brooks and
Thomas Marsala knocked singles to right, then
Ethan Menard launched a three-run homer over the left field bullpen to even the game at 3-3. Lopez responded well and recorded two quick outs after the deep shot, recording a looking strikeout and snagging a liner sent back up the middle.
The Demons tacked on two more in the top of the fifth with a two-RBI single through the right side from
Joe Siervo. UTRGV answered in the home half of the frame as redshirt senior second baseman
Thomas Williams delivered with a sacrifice fly, trimming the deficit to 5-4. A walk, a single and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with Vaqueros with just one out, but Trosclair worked out of the jam to keep the Demons on top.
Senior RHP
Anthony Garcia took the mound in relief with two outs in the fifth and recorded four strikeouts to prevent the Demons from extending the lead, including a clutch swinging punchout to strand a runner on third in the top of the sixth.
Northwestern State put up a five-spot in the top of the seventh. Menard sent a two-RBI single to left field, then
Michael McAloose blasted a three-run home run to left to make it 10-4. Garcia's night went 2.1 innings allowing five earned runs on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
The Demons grew their lead to 17-4 after a seven-run eighth.
Zach White and Brooks scored on wild pitches. Menard, McAloose,
Sebastian Huerta, White and
Sam Ardoin all tabbed RBI singles to aid the onslaught. Senior RHP
Caden Wanless started the inning and went 0.1 innings surrendering one earned run and striking out one. Senior LHP
Nick Nolan pitched the final 1.2 innings and gave up four earned runs on five hits, one walk and two wild pitches.
Sophomore left fielder and Sharyland Pioneer alum
Andy Chapa sent a solo home run over the left field wall to keep the Vaqueros fighting. UTRGV scored four during a two-out rally as redshirt junior first baseman
Armani Raygoza notched a RBI single to center, then Ramirez hit a no-doubt three-run home run, making it 17-9.
Lucas Harrington sat the Vaqueros down in order in the ninth to close out the win for the Demons.
The series continues Friday at 6:30 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. Friday's game will be Vaqueros Against Violence Night, presented by the UTRGV Office for Advocacy & Violence Prevention. Fans are encouraged to donate four toiletries for women's shelters to receive free admission.
Current UTRGV students receive free general admission with a digital ticket that can be acquired at
GoUTRGV.com/StudentTickets and their student ID.
New for this year – there is a dedicated student entrance up the third baseline accessible from the sidewalk next to Sugar Rd.
All fans need to follow the clear bag policy, details of which can be found, along with everything you need to know about game day such as stadium maps, at
RallyTheValley.com.
Gates open one hour before first pitch.
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