RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team (21-25, 14-13 SLC) plays its final regular season home series this weekend, hosting the UIW Cardinals (18-24, 8-16 SLC) Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.

Friday, May 1, 6:30 p.m. vs. UIW
Lucha Libre Night, presented by Whataburger
•New Breed Wrestling will stage a pregame Lucha Libre wrestling match on the concourse. Fans will be able to take photos with the wrestlers and in the ring throughout the game.
•The first 2,000 fans in attenance will receive Lucha Libre masks, courtesy of Whataburger.
•The media sponsors for the event are KYWW Puro Tejano 1530 AM and KGBT 98.5 La Preferida.
•The outgoing Student Government Association Executive Board will throw out ceremonial first pitches to the incoming board to celebrate the transfer of responsibility.
  
Saturday, May 2, 6:30 p.m. vs. UIW
Game presented by Bert Ogden Auto Group
•Fans will receive UTRGV sunglasses while supplies last.
•The first 1,000 fans to visit the giveaway table will receive free cups, courtesy of Chartwells

Sunday, May 3, 1 p.m. vs. UIW
Autism Acceptance Day, presented by Driscoll Health Plan • Family Fun Day • Public Employee Appreciation Day • Senior Day
•A sensory room will be available and music will be played at a lower volume throughout the game.
•Get four general admission tickets, four drinks, and four hot dogs for $44.
•All city, county, state, and federal employees receive free general admission tickets by showing their employee ID.
•Come early to celebrate the graduating senior class.

All Games
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.

DQ Blast
If a Vaquero hits a home run, all fans in attendance receive coupons for a free blizzard with the purchase of any menu item from Dairy Queen.
 
Raising Cane's Lucky Section
At everyone Saturday home game, two random rows in two different sections will compete to win buy one, get one free box combo vouchers for their entire section.
 
Wing Barn Fan of the Game
The most spirited fan at each game receives a $10 gift card to Wing Barn.

The Race for the Southland Conference Tournament

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

UTRGV is also 2.5 games ahead of ninth place Houston Christian University, which is currently the last team out of the Southland Conference Tournament.

All-Time vs. UIW

• UTRGV is 29-22 all-time against UIW in a series dating back to 1993. The first 34 meetings were all played in Edinburg.
• UTRGV swept UIW on the road last season 14-10, 13-10, and 16-5 in eight innings. The first two games were part of a doubleheader.

Last Time Out

UTRGV split a pair of midweek games at No. 6 Oregon State. Among the game notes from that series:

at No. 6 Oregon State (4/29)
 

• UTRGV earned what is believed to be its first win over a top 6 opponent since 1983 by beating No. 6 Oregon State 9-7.
• The last time UTRGV is known to have defeated a top 6 program is May 21-22 1983, winning three of four at No. 1 Wichita State.
• This is UTRGV's first win over a ranked team since Feb. 18, 2025, a 15-5 neutral site victory vs. No. 20 Dallas Baptist at Globe Life Field.
• This is UTRGV's first true road win over a ranked opponent since April 30, 2019, a 6-3 victory at No. 10 Texas Tech.
• This is UTRGV's first win over a team with a single-digit ranking since March 14, 2012, a 5-2 win at No. 8 Texas A&M.
• Junior Armani Raygoza went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two RBI, and a career-high tying three runs scored. Raygoza has now homered in four-straight games for the first time in his career. He has 17 home runs this season, matching last season's total and tied for the fourth-highest single-season total in program history, and 40 for his career, extending his lead as the program's all-time home run king. Raygoza now has 136 RBI, tying the program record held by Vinnie Mejia (2010-12).
• Junior Rocco Garza Gongora finished 2-for-5 with a career-high tying two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. Junior Easton Moomau also went 2-for-5 with two RBI.
• Senior Víctor Loa pitched a season-high 4.2 innings.
• Senior Anthony Garcia struck out a career-high tying five in 3.0 innings of relief for the win.
• Senior Caden Wanless pitched 1.1 hitless innings for his first career save.

 
at No. 6 Oregon State (4/28)
 

• In their first meeting in 20 years, UTRGV fell at Oregon State 4-2.
• Graduate student Robert Bonilla struck out a career-high seven in a career-high 5.2 innings. He didn't allow a run until the sixth.
• Juniors Armani Raygoza and Easton Moomau each hit home runs. Raygoza's came off arguably the best closer in the NCAA, Albert Roblez, marking the first extra-base hit allowed by Roblez this season. Raygoza and senior Hank Warren each had two hits. UTRGV was just the third team to force Oregon State to use Roblez for at least 2.0 innings this season, along with UC Irvine (March 21) and Michigan (Feb. 16).

 

Statistic	Total	NCAA Rank	SLC Rank
Walks	247	24	1
Hits	436	60	1
Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings	3.98	64	2
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio	2.20	74	2
Double Plays	32	92	8
Home Runs	50	93	4
Fielding Percentage	.974	95	6
Strikeouts Per Nine Innings	8.7	98	7

 

Player	Stat	Total	NCAA Rank	SLC Rank
Armani Raygoza	HR	17	20	1
	BB	41	23	2
	TB	117	42	1
	BB/G	0.89	44	2
	Runs	63	49	1
	SLG%	.672	71	1
	RBI	48	72	2
	RBI/G	1.07	147	3
Rocco Garza Gongora	2B	17	26	1
	2B/G	0.37	66	1
	Runs	47	93	3
	Hits	60	111	3
Sergio Lopez	K/9	11.32	79	3
	K:BB	4.06	80	4
	K	65	101	4
Julius Ramirez	RBI	48	72	2
	RBI/G	1.07	127	3
	SF	4	134	4
Kike Cienfuegos	W	6	48	1
	SV	2	289	10
Easton Moomau	BB	36	57	4
	BB/G	0.78	146	6
Thomas Williams	Hits	61	95	2
	Hits/G	1.39	146	2
Harrison Thayer	W	6	48	1

 

• Armani Raygoza is among the best hitters in program history:

Rank	Name	Home Runs	Years
1.	Armani Raygoza	40	2024-Present
2.	Brandon Pimentel	31	2022-23
3.	Mitchell Moran (HOF)	27	1981-83
4.	Isaac Lopez	22	2022-25
T-5.	Freddy Rojas Jr.	21	2020-22
T-5.	Jesse Gutierrez	21	2000
T-7.	Vinnie Mejia	19	2010-12
T-7.	Matt Siskowski	19	1994-97
T-7.	Ray De Leon	19	1990-91
T-10.	Leo Salinas	18	1997-00
T-10.	Robert Johnson	18	1979-81

 

Rank	Name	RBI	Years
T-1.	Armani Raygoza	136	2024-Present
T-1.	Vinnie Mejia	136	2010-12
3.	Mitchell Moran (HOF)	130	1981-83
4.	Isaac Lopez	128	2022-25
T-5.	Matt Siskowski	121	1994-97
T-5.	Lance Sardelich	121	1989-91
T-7.	Brandon Pimentel	120	2022-23
T-7.	Leo Salinas	120	1997-00
9.	Steven Lancia	114	2022-25
10.	Angel Ibanez	112	2010-12

 

• Raygoza is also having one of the best seasons in program history:

Rank	Name	Home Runs	Year
1.	Jesse Gutierrez	21	2000
2.	Mitchell Moran (HOF)	20	1983
3.	Brandon Pimentel	19	2023
4.	Armani Raygoza	17	2026
5.	Armani Raygoza	17	2025
6.	Martin Vazquez	17	2024
T-7.	Dale Brown	14	1981
T-7.	Robert Johnson	14	1980
T-9.	Brandon Pimentel	12	2022
T-9.	Andy Ness	12	1999
T-9.	Rafael Barbosa	12	1983
T-9.	Bobby Joe Williams	12	1983

 

• Rocco Garza Gongora is doubling down on his first season as a Vaquero:

Rank	Name	Doubles	Year
1.	Garrett Bivone	23	2010
T-2.	Ivan Estrella	19	2017
T-2.	Osiel Flores	19	2007
T-4.	Alex Howe	18	2014
T-4.	Bonham Hough	18	2009
T-4.	Tony Ortiz	18	2003
T-4.	Tommy Supak	18	1980
T-8.	Rocco Garza Gongora	17	2026
T-8.	Armani Raygoza	17	2025
T-8.	Vinnie Mejia	17	2012
T-8.	Stuart MacInnes	17	2010
T-8.	Steve Redden	17	1997
T-8.	Matt Siskowski	17	1996
T-8.	Bill Savarino	17	1985

 

• UTRGV currently ranks 34^th in the NCAA is total attendance (62,739) and 22^nd in average attendance (3,691) and is amid the second-best attended season in program history.

 

Rank	Season	Dates	Fans	Avg.
1.	2025	26	82,258	3,164
2.	2026	17	62,739	3,691
3.	2024	28	62,132	2,219
4.	2023	28	45,461	1,624
5.	1975	26	39,700	1,323
6.	1972	20	38,400	1,920
7.	1971	26	37,450	1,440
NR	2022	24	37,220	1,551

 

• UTRGV opened the season by welcoming two of the nine largest crowds in program history, including the largest Friday crowd and largest opening night crowd with 5,852 vs. Kansas (2/13) and fifth largest Saturday crowd with 5,040 (2/14). UTRGV capped the weekend with the largest Sunday crowd in program history with 2,291 (2/15), leading to the largest weekend series crowd in program history at 13,193.
• UTRGV set a program and Tuesday attendance record by welcome 6,588 fans vs. Texas Tech (2/17).
• UTRGV has on welcomed a program record five crowds of 5,000+ this season.

 

Rank	Fans	Opponent	Date
1.	6,588	Texas Tech	2/17/26
2.	6,537	Stephen F. Austin	4/12/25
3.	6,473	Southeastern	4/17/26
4.	6,418	No. 6 Texas	4/26/22
5.	6,324	HCU	3/22/25
6.	6,189	Texas State	5/13/25
7.	6,044	UT Arlington	4/6/24
8.	5,862	Kansas	2/13/26
9.	5,374	Utah Valley	4/13/24
10.	5,231	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	3/28/26
11.	5,111	Texas Southern	3/18/25
12.	5,040	Kansas	2/14/26
13.	4,900	Arizona	5/28/76

 

• UTRGV has welcomed 34 of its largest 36 crowds since moving into UTRGV Baseball Stadium (2002) since 2023.

Rank	Fans	Opponent	Date
1.	6,588	Texas Tech	2/17/26
2.	6,537	Stephen F. Austin	4/12/25
3.	6,473	Southeastern	4/17/26
4.	6,418	No. 6 Texas	4/26/22
5.	6,324	Houston Christian	3/22/25
6.	6,189	Texas State	5/13/25
7.	6,044	UT Arlington	4/6/24
8.	5,862	Kansas	2/13/26
9.	5,374	Utah Valley	4/13/24
10.	5,231	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	3/28/26
11.	5,111	Texas Southern	3/18/25
12.	5,040	Kansas	2/14/26
13.	4,589	McNeese	4/26/25
14.	4,451	Sacramento State	5/17/24
15.	4,408	Incarnate Word	4/22/25
16.	4,352	Nicholls	3/15/25
17.	4,314	Sacramento State	5/18/24
18.	4,313	Grand Canyon	3/23/24
19.	4,261	Grand Canyon	5/12/23
20.	4,121	New Orleans	3/7/26
21.	4,025	McNeese	4/25/25
T-22.	4,017	New Orleans	3/6/26
T-22.	4,017	Houston	3/4/23
24.	3,962	Stephen F. Austin	4/26/24
25.	3,937	Southern Illinois	2/14/25
26.	3,915	Stephen F. Austin	4/27/24
27.	3,618	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	3/28/26
28.	3,604	Texas State	2/1/03
29.	3,381	Houston Christian	5/16/25
30.	3,524	Southeastern	4/18/26
31.	3,523	Northwestern State	4/2/26
32.	3,345	Lamar	3/1/25
33.	3,334	Houston Christian	3/21/25
34.	3,215	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	5/15/25
35.	3,144	Houston	3/3/23
36.	3,111	Lamar	2/28/25

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