Vaqueros best Cardinals at record-setting game

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Baseball Team overcame the University of the Incarnate Word Tuesday night at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium, making its record 9-9 in conference and 23-16, overall.

The game’s attendance of 2,262 fans helped UTRGV reach the baseball program record for attendance across one season with 40,491 people over the course of 26 home dates.

UTRGV redshirt sophomore Isaac Lopez got a walk in the first inning of Tuesday night’s game against the University of the Incarnate Word at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. The game helped bring the season to a record-breaking baseball program attendance with 40,491 people present. The final score was 9-8. Ramiro Castro Jr./THE RIDER

The first inning had Cardinal senior infielder Jimmy De Leon achieving the first run of the game, followed by no scores during the second inning.

In the top of the third inning, UIW junior catcher Jared Rhodes scored the second run. During the bottom of the third, senior outfielder Zerek Saenz put up UTRGV’s first run, making the score 2-1.

The next run was not put up until the bottom of the sixth inning by Vaquero sophomore catcher Steven Lancia, bringing the score to a tie of 2-2.

Cardinal junior catcher Jared Rhodes attempts to steal a run as the Vaqueros watch the next batter during Tuesday night’s game at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. Ramiro Castro Jr./THE RIDER

During the top of the seventh inning, UIW’s Rhodes, junior infielder Grant Randall, De Leon, senior catcher Hernan Yanez, junior infielder and catcher Cameron Crotte and graduate outfielder Rey Mendoza all scored runs, making the score 8-2.

The runs were quickly followed by UTRGV senior infielder Roberto Gonzalez hitting a single to right field and allowing graduate outfielder and first baseman Brandon Pimentel and Saenz to score runs.

Pimentel proceeded to score a second time during the bottom of the seventh, making the score 8-5.

UTRGV junior infielder Damian Rodriguez scored a run during the eighth inning followed by an over 400-feet homerun from Brandon Pimentel across center field, allowing Saenz, junior infielder Kade York and Pimentel to score runs, bringing the final score to 9-8.

Graduate outfielder/first baseman Brandon Pimentel rounds second base during the third inning against the University of the Incarnate Word during Tuesday night’s game at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. The Vaqueros won 9-8. Ramiro Castro Jr./THE RIDER

Baseball head coach Derek Matlock said the team had a bad offense early on during the game, but managed to bring it back at the end.

“When you get down, you got to chip away at it,” Matlock said. “… The guys started having really good at-bats, started locking in and hitting balls hard.”

Saenz led the Vaqueros with three runs in the game and an updated season record of 43 runs, 24 RBIs and three home runs.

Matlock said he appreciates how the team has guts and they do not give up.

“We got a big weekend ahead of us,” he said. “We’re fighting for our lives in the [Western Athletic Conference] to get in the tournament.”

Matlock said he wants big-time starts from the pitchers, and today was about building up the pitchers.

Pimentel put up two runs in the game, and now has 30 runs, 44 RBIs and 11 home runs, overall.

He said Tuesday night’s game was a hard-fought battle, but they kept fighting and they were able to get a win.

“[I am] thankful for the guys,” Pimentel said. “For putting me in that situation. I was able to put a good swing on it and fortunately it was a home run.”

He said they are looking to carry last week’s series win over to the upcoming series with good swings and good pitching.

The Vaqueros are set to play a three-game series against The University of Texas at Arlington at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday in Arlington.