LAKE CHARLES, La. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team (18-23, 12-12 SLC) visits the McNeese Cowboys (22-19, 10-11 SLC) on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. at Joe Miller Ballpark.

The Race for the Southland Conference Tournament

UTRGV is currently in sixth place in the Southland Conference, 3.5 games behind first place Lamar and 3.0 games back of second place Southeastern for the top two seeds and the right to host bracket play in the conference tournament. UTRGV has six conference games remaining while Lamar and Southeastern each have nine games left. UTRGV is 0-3 against Lamar and 2-1 against Southeastern.

UTRGV is also 2.5 games ahead of ninth place UIW, which is currently the last team out of the Southland Conference Tournament. UTRGV hosts UIW May 1-3.

All-Time vs. McNeese

UTRGV is 4-6 all-time against McNeese in a series dating back to 2001. UTRGV took two out of three at home last season.

Last Time Out

UTRGV dropped a pair of midweek games at Little Rock, 5-4 on Tuesday and 15-10 on Wednesday. Among the game notes from that series:

at Little Rock (4/22)

• UTRGV dropped the finale 15-10.
• Senior Thomas Williams went a season-high tying 3-for-4 with a triple, a walk, a season-high tying three RBI, and a run scored.
• Graduate student PSJA alum Diego Villescas went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBI, and a run scored.
• Junior Rocco Garza Gongora finished 2-for-5 with a career-high tying two doubles, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Senior Hank Warren also went 2-for-5 with a double.
• Graduate student Austin Stracener season-best 2-for-2 with a run scored and a steal.
• Freshman Augie Grohman made his collegiate debut, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing three runs on three hits and four walks.
• Senior Damien Whitfield made his pitching debut, striking out one while allowing one run on two hits and one walk in 1.0 inning. Whitfield last pitched in high school.

 
at Little Rock (4/21)

• In their first meeting in 20 years, UTRGV fell at Little Rock 5-4.
• Junior Armani Raygoza led the Vaqueros offensively by going 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBI. Senior Thomas Williams went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.
• Sophomore Mason Engel retired the first 10 batters he faced. He struck out a career-high tying three while allowing two runs on three hits in a career-high tying 4.0 innings.
• Senior Nick Nolan pitched a season-high 2.0 hitless innings.

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