The Vaqueros defeated the Chicago State University Cougars 8-1 on Friday night at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium. This is the fourth straight victory for UTRGV, which improved their record 19-10 overall and 5-2 in conference play.
The Cougars scored the first run of the night in the first inning. It would be the only run scored for them and came after a sacrifice fly made by senior infielder Matt Sullivan that allowed senior infielder Nick Heidenthal to run to home and score.
UTRGV tied the game in the bottom of the second after an error. Junior outfielder Elijah Alexander scored the run that brought the Vaqueros back in the score 1-1.
The turning point of the game occured in the bottom of the third inning. The Vaqueros scored 4 runs to take the lead 5-1.
Vaqueros sophomore outfielder Jacob Hirsh made a double, senior infielder Anthony Gomez walked to first base and junior outfielder Coleman Grubbs bunted a single that led to them to load the bases. After that, junior infielder Christian Sepulveda connected a single to the left, that let his teammates advance and Hirsh to score a run.
A couple of outs later in the same inning, junior infielder Nick Contreras hit a single to the right field that allowed Sepulveda and Grubbs to advance to home from second and third base and put the Vaqueros 4-1.
After that sophomore catcher Oliver Closner IV walked, Contreras moved to second and Alexander to third base. Freshman Jacob Flores also walked in the third inning which permitted Alexander to score his second run of the night.
UTRGV increased its lead 8-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Gomez made a single to the center field followed by a homerun connected by Grubbs putting the Vaqueros 7-1.
Sepulveda would score his second run of the night and the eighth one for his team, after junior infielder Tyler Torres hit a single and after the three outs in the top of ninth. The Vaqueros added another win to their record this season.
Grubbs was asked about his first impression that left the home run that he made in bottom of the eighth.
“I mean, obviously when you hit that ball, I mean you, just know it’s gone,” Grubbs said. “ I mean, it’s probably the best feeling in the world running around the bases just knowing you hit it out, knowing you helped your team score [to] get more chances to win.”
UTRGV will play its second game of the series against Chicago State University at 6 p.m. today at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
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