STEPHENVILLE – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team (25-25) closes out the regular season with a series against the Tarleton State Texans (31-16) Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m., and Sunday at 12 p.m. at Tarleton State Baseball Complex.

Southland Conference Tournament Up Next

While these are non-conference contests, every other school in the Southland has a three-game series scheduled Thursday through Saturday as the Southland Conference Tournament field gets finalized. UTRGV is assured of finishing between third and fifth. If the Vaqueros finish third, they will travel to the No. 2 seed for bracket play. If the Vaqueros finish fourth or fifth, they will travel to the No. 1 seed for bracket play. Southeastern (18-9 SLC) is currently in first place and has a magic number of two to clinch the No. 1 seed. Lamar (17-10 SLC) is currently in second and has a magic number of two to clinch the No. 2 seed. Northwestern State (16-11 SLC) can still finish as high as first and as low as fifth. Southeastern hosts Nicholls (fifth, 15-12 SLC). Lamar visits Houston Christian University (eighth, 12-15 SLC), and Northwestern State visits McNeese (sixth, 13-14 SLC).

Bracket play is May 14-17 with the championship series to follow May 21-23.

All-Time vs.Tarleton State

• UTRGV is 13-8 all-time against Tarleton State in a series dating back to 1966.
• UTRGV took one of three in a road series April 19-21, 2024, their most recent meetings. Robert Bonilla earned his first save in the middle game by pitching what was then a career-high 4.0 innings of one-run relief.

Last Time Out @ Abilene Christian (5/5)
 

• UTRGV won its season-best fifth-straight game by beating Abilene Christian 13-7. This is UTRGV's longest winning streak since winning seven-straight from April 26-May 4, 2025.
• Junior Andrew Taylor made his first start at DH going a career-best 3-for-4 with a career-high two home runs, a walk, a career-high four RBI, and a career-high two runs scored. All of Taylor's hits came while behind in the count, including 0-1 on the first home run and 0-2 on the other two hits.
• Senior Thomas Williams drove-in a career-high tying four runs while going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and a steal.
• Graduate student Diego Villescas went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and a walk.
• Graduate student Vela alum Rudy Gonzalez went a career-high tying 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored.
• Graduate student Robert Bonilla earned his first win of the season by striking out six in 4.0 innings of one-run relief.
• Senior Nick Nolan struck out a career-high tying four in a season-high tying 2.0 innings.
• UTRGV pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts, the Vaqueros' second-highest total of the season.

• 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
1.	Armani Raygoza	137	2024-Present
2.	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
T-4.	Armani Raygoza	17	2026
T-4.	Armani Raygoza	17	2025
T-4.	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.	Rocco Garza Gongora	18	2026
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-9.	Armani Raygoza	17	2025
T-9.	Vinnie Mejia	17	2012
T-9.	Stuart MacInnes	17	2010
T-9.	Steve Redden	17	1997
T-9.	Matt Siskowski	17	1996
T-9.	Bill Savarino	17	1985

 

• UTRGV currently ranks 33^rd in the NCAA is total attendance (74,465) and 22^nd in average attendance (3,723) 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	20	74,465	3,723
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 six 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.	5,548	UIW	5/1/26
10.	5,374	Utah Valley	4/13/24
11.	5,231	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	3/28/26
12.	5,111	Texas Southern	3/18/25
13.	5,040	Kansas	2/14/26
14.	4,900	Arizona	5/28/76

 

• UTRGV has welcomed 35 of its largest 37 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.	5,548	UIW	5/1/26
10.	5,374	Utah Valley	4/13/24
11.	5,231	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	3/28/26
12.	5,111	Texas Southern	3/18/25
13.	5,040	Kansas	2/14/26
14.	4,589	McNeese	4/26/25
15.	4,451	Sacramento State	5/17/24
16.	4,408	Incarnate Word	4/22/25
17.	4,352	Nicholls	3/15/25
18.	4,314	Sacramento State	5/18/24
19.	4,313	Grand Canyon	3/23/24
20.	4,261	Grand Canyon	5/12/23
21.	4,131	UIW	5/2/26
22.	4,121	New Orleans	3/7/26
23.	4,025	McNeese	4/25/25
T-24.	4,017	New Orleans	3/6/26
T-24.	4,017	Houston	3/4/23
26.	3,962	Stephen F. Austin	4/26/24
27.	3,937	Southern Illinois	2/14/25
28.	3,915	Stephen F. Austin	4/27/24
29.	3,618	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	3/28/26
30.	3,604	Texas State	2/1/03
31.	3,381	Houston Christian	5/16/25
32.	3,524	Southeastern	4/18/26
33.	3,523	Northwestern State	4/2/26
34.	3,345	Lamar	3/1/25
35.	3,334	Houston Christian	3/21/25
36.	3,215	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	5/15/25
37.	3,144	Houston	3/3/23
38.	3,111	Lamar	2/28/25

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