Vaqueros infield, pitching torch Panthers on letter night

The UTRGV Vaqueros defeated the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers 2-0 tonight, taking the series opener in front of an electric Homecoming crowd of 2,711 at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus. 

With the win, the Vaqueros improved their start to 3-1 after tonight’s victory, while Milwaukee remained winless at 0-4.

The Vaqueros would ride their infield defense and their pitching to victory in this game, with the bullpen combining to shut out the Milwaukee offense, holding them to no runs, four hits, and only one walk, and striking out six Panthers in the process.

UTRGV baseball head coach Derek Matlock spoke to the media after the game.

“It all goes down to pitching and defense when you’re in a fight like that with a really good arm,” Matlock said. “You’re gonna run into a lot of those guys in our conference that can really pitch, and you gotta play great defense and you also gotta pitch.”

They would also remain disciplined at the plate, drawing eight walks as an offensive unit. 

Asked about the discipline of his offense, Matlock replied, “Walks help.” 

“That’s guys not chasing that slider in the dirt,” he said. “That’s a valuable lesson for hitters to learn: Don’t chase.”

Redshirt junior right hander Francisco “Paco” Hernandez would be the winning pitcher in this contest. He entered the game in the fourth inning and pitched three frames, striking out one and allowing a hit, a walk and no runs.

Senior right-hander Luke Hansel started the game for Milwaukee, pitching six innings, striking out nine and allowing only one run on six hits and three walks in the losing effort.

“I felt great,” Hernandez said after the game. “I got some feedback from [Isiah] Campa after he came out. He let me know what’s up with the hitters and I just went along how he was playing off, too. So, it’s great coming out with the win, but I feel like I’m about to set the tone for me to come out there and have some success.”

The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning, with both teams generating traffic on the basepaths. 

The bottom of the sixth would start with redshirt freshman first baseman Armani Raygoza drawing a leadoff walk. Redshirt junior infielder Erick Martinez would pinch-run for Raygoza.

 Freshman designated hitter Easton Moomau would get a hit and advance Martinez to third. However, he would be picked off at first heading for second.

With a runner on third and two outs, CJ Valdez would line a single to left field, scoring Martinez and getting the Vaqueros on the board first at 1-0.

With one on and one out in the top of the seventh, UTRGV redshirt junior second baseman Isaac Lopez and  senior shortstop Kade York would turn an inning-ending double play on Panthers’ redshirt junior center fielder Tai Walton.

The Vaqueros would add some insurance after the stretch. After the Vaqueros drew back-to-back walks with one away, Lopez would single up the middle to drive in York, making it a 2-0 ballgame. 

Senior right handed pitcher Nico Rodriguez, after entering in the seventh, would set the Panthers down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, slamming the door and securing a 2-0 win for the Vaqueros.

The Vaqueros will play the next two games of this series against Milwaukee at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. They will then face off against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi before starting a four-game set against Austin Peay State University with a doubleheader at noon Friday. All games will be played at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium on the Edinburg campus.