For Immediate Release: April 12, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations, (956) 381-2240

BRONCS DOWN HUSKIES

EDINBURG, TX –What a difference two weeks made to The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team.

The Broncs scored early and often, and junior righthander Travis Parker (Brownsville, TX/Hanna HS/UT-Brownsville) and senior righthander Mike Killian (Santa Fe, TX/Santa Fe HS/Hill JC) combined on a six-hitter, as UTPA defeated Houston Baptist, 8-1, at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium Friday night.

The Broncs, who lost, 10-2, to Logan Cuellar and the Huskies, 10-2, two weeks ago, turned things around this time. With one out in the first, junior left fielder Bruce Kennedy (Mansfield, TX/Mansfield HS/Northeast Texas JC) walked and replaced at first base by sophomore designated hitter Matt Sisk (Fort Worth, TX/Arlington Heights HS/New Mexico) after a fielder’s choice. Senior third baseman Adam Farek (Crockett, TX/Crockett HS/Cedar Valley CC) doubled to left field. Junior right fielder Skip Weast (Inola, OK/Inola HS/Crowder JC) followed with a single to left, giving UTPA a 2-0 first-inning lead.

The Broncs scored again in the third. With one out, Farek and Weast walked, and moved up on an infield out. Freshman shortstop Marco Garza’s (Mission, TX/Sharyland HS) single to center scored Farek.

UTPA broke the game open with four runs in the sixth. Kennedy singled and stole second, and, one out later, Farek drew a walk. Weast singled to score one run, another scored on a wild pitch, a third scored on Garza’s triple, and the final run crossed on a double by junior catcher Sean Flynn (Bradenton, FL/Bradenton Christian Academy). Farek drove in the Broncs’ final run in the seventh.

Parker allowed a pair of hits in the first inning, but Weast threw out second baseman Jeremy Green trying to stretch a single into a double. The Huskies loaded the bases in the second on a hit batsman and two walks, but Kennedy caught left fielder Craig Bowser’s fly ball at the warning track to retire the side. HBU loaded the bases after third baseman Bryan Coleman drove in a run with a single in the sixth, but Parker induced catcher Jason Pickett to ground into a double play to end the threat.

Parker allowed five hits in seven innings, earning the victory and improving his record to 3-6. Cuellar, the loser, dropped to 5-3.

“Logan Cuellar is a good pitcher with a good slider, but he didn’t get to use it against us as much this time as he did the first time,” said UTPA Head Coach Reggie Tredaway. “I told my guys that I wanted them swinging early in the count. Travis struggled early, but then he got loose about the third inning. He got some big outs, and we made some good plays behind him.”

UTPA improved to 11-26 with the victory, while HBU dropped to 27-12. The Broncs and Huskies will meet in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

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