Offense lifts Vaqueros past Grizzlies

_{Redshirt junior infielder Martin Vazquez walks away after forcing an out on Oakland University freshman infielder Drew Gaskins during tonight’s game at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER}

UTRGV outlasts Oakland in tight ballgame

The UTRGV Vaqueros got timely hits from their offense as they won the series opener against the Oakland University Grizzlies 6-4 in a nailbiter at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus.

The Vaqueros, whose record improved to 7-5 after tonight’s victory, came into the game having dropped five of their last six. Head coach Derek Matlock said he hopes tonight’s result can help the team understand “the process of what [they’re] trying to do.”

“It ain’t fun trying to figure it out and losing,” Matlock told the media after the game. “We’re happy with the win. It wasn’t easy, it was a fight.”

Vaqueros right fielder Hank Warren (2-3, RBI, BB) and first baseman Martin Vazquez (1-4, RBI), both juniors, hit solo home runs in this game. Senior shortstop Kade York (2-3, 2 RBI) also shined at the plate.

Warren, in his comments to the media after the game, said that “it just came down to execution.”

“We had to do the little things,” Warren said. “Throw strikes, hit [in] runs, all that kind of stuff. So, it felt good to get a win in front of the [home] crowd.”

Grizzlies graduate right fielder Ian Cleary had a great hitting performance, going 3-4 with a triple and two RBI to keep his team in the game.

Vaquero redshirt junior relief pitcher Francisco “Paco” Hernandez (2-1) took the win on the mound. He came into the game in the fifth inning, pitching 2.2 innings in total.

UTRGV senior reliever and Edinburg native Nico Rodgriguez earned the save, his second of the year.

Oakland junior right-handed starter Hunter Pidek took the loss, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing five runs, all earned, on six hits.

Junior first baseman Martin Vazquez led off the bottom of the second inning with an opposite-field home run to open the scoring, giving UTRGV a 1-0 lead.

_{Senior pitcher Tyler Valdez pitches during tonight’s game at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. Angel Ballesteros/THE RIDER}

The Vaqueros then loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. With two outs, redshirt senior left fielder Adrian Torres singled up the middle and drove in two, extending their lead 3-0.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Oakland freshman utilityman Aidan Orr hit an RBI double to left, scoring Brandon Nigh from second and getting the Grizzlies on the board 3-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, senior shortstop Kade York answered for the Vaqueros by hitting an RBI single to third, scoring senior center fielder Damian Rodriguez to regain the three-run lead at 4-1.

Oakland redshirt freshman shortstop Sam Griffith led off the top of the fifth by lining a single to center and advancing to second on an error. He would score unearned on an RBI single to left by Cleary, cutting the lead to 2, 4-2.

In the bottom of the sixth with one out, the Vaqueros added another run on what was initially called an RBI single by York, scoring Hank Warren.

York would later be called out after the play was reviewed. However, the run still counted, padding the UTRGV lead at 5-2.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, the Grizzlies would make it interesting.

Cleary hit an RBI triple, scoring freshman left fielder Trent Rice and giving the Grizzlies another run, 5-3.

He would come around to score on an RBI single from junior third baseman Brandon Nigh, making it a one-run game at 5-4 before the stretch.

In the top of the eighth, Nico Rodgriguez came into the game with the bases loaded and one out. He then set the next two hitters down to get the Vaqueros out of a jam.

Warren gave the Vaqueros some insurance after leading off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run, extending the Vaqueros lead 6-4.

The Vaqueros will play the next game of this series against Oakland at 1 p.m. Saturday at home.