Late-inning heartbreak for Vaqueros

Governors stun UTRGV with 7-run eighth inning

_{Vaquero graduate pitcher Isiah Campa attempts to pick off Governor designated hitter Harrison Brown Friday at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. Also shown is redshirt junior first baseman Martin Vazquez. The Austin Peay State University Governors defeated the Vaqueros 12-11. UTRGV will play against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. Abigail Ollave/THE RIDER}

The Austin Peay State University Governors came from behind to defeat the UTRGV Vaqueros in the series opener Friday 12-11 in a slugfest at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. The Vaqueros lost the three-game series 2-1.

During Friday’s game, the Governors rallied for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning, tallying five hits and walking three times, including an intentional walk to graduate right fielder Lyle-Miller Green. They would bat around in this inning.

The Vaqueros would try to fight back in the bottom of the ninth, but fell a run short of tying the game.

Austin Peay freshman left-hander DJ Merriweather (2-0) recorded the win for the Governors, while Vaquero senior right-hander Tyler Valdez (1-1) would record the loss.

Governor graduate first baseman Justin Olson put together an excellent hitting performance, going 3-4 with a double and 3 RBIs.

 Vaquero junior catcher Steven Lancia (.552 AVG) continued his hot streak at the plate with five hits, all singles.

Vaqueros’ head coach Derek Matlock admired the fight his offense put up in the game but insisted that they could not get away with giving up free bases on the basepaths.

“I thought we did a great job all around,” Matlock said. “The bullpen didn’t make pitchers’ pitches and, more or less, were giving up 90 feet because of some wild pitches, and that’s not good.”

With one out in the top of the first, Miller-Green hit a first-pitch solo home run, giving the Governors a 1-0 lead.

UTRGV tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second after freshman designated hitter Easton Moomau hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Lancia from third base.

An RBI single from Justin Olson off the glove against recently entered reliever Aaron Sanchez scored Brody Szako and gave Austin Peay a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth.

A wild pitch from Governor Jacob Weaver allowed Vaquero junior first baseman Martin Vazquez to score from third, tying the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Vaqueros looked dangerous on offense as they loaded the bases on two hits and a hit-by-pitch. 

With no outs, redshirt junior second baseman Isaac Lopez drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in senior center fielder Damian Rodriguez, giving UTRGV a 3-2 lead.

A sacrifice fly off the bat of Lancia drove in redshirt senior left fielder Adrian Torres, extending the Vaqueros’ lead to 4-2.

CJ Valdez added another run with two outs on an RBI single, scoring Lopez and padding their lead to 5-2.

The Governors responded in the top of the sixth with no outs on an RBI double from Olson, cutting the Vaqueros’ lead to 5-3.

Governor senior center fielder John Bay scored on a fielder’s choice, making it a one-run game at 5-4.

Austin Peay rallied again in the top of the eighth. With one out, Olson tied the game 5-5 on an RBI single to center, scoring Paris Pridgen who pinch-ran for Szako. He’d come around to score on an RBI double from junior catcher Trevor Conley, giving the Governors a 6-5 lead.

Another RBI double from Ambren Voitik gave the Governors some insurance, extending their lead to 7-5. He scored on a bases-loaded walk from senior designated hitter Harrison Brown, making it 8-5 for Austin Peay.

Governor Clayton Gray scored on a wild pitch from Vaquero Jack Lopez, making it 9-5. Jaden Brown pinch-hit for Pridgen and drove in two on a single to right, extending the Austin Peay lead to 11-5.

In the top of the ninth, Austin Peay extended its lead after Gray grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Conley from third, making the Governors’ lead 12-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Vazquez hit a leadoff double and would come around to score on a wild pitch, cutting into the deficit, 12-6. 

The Vaqueros loaded the bases, allowing infielder Kade York to drive one in after getting plunked, bringing the score to 12-7. Shortly after this, Torres cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double, making it 12-10.

Vazquez walked with the bases loaded to make it a one-run game at 12-11 before Valdez struck out looking to end the game with a final of 12-11.

The Vaqueros’ next game is against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus.