For Immediate Release: April 17, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations, (956) 381-2240

BRONCS SPLIT AT UTSA

EDINBURG, TX –Texas-San Antonio scored seven runs in their final two at-bats, breaking open the second game of a doubleheader to defeat The University of Texas-Pan American, 11-3, at Roadrunner Field Wednesday afternoon.

The teams split the doubleheader. Freshman shortstop Marco Garza (Mission, TX/Sharyland HS) capped a fine performance with a dramatic three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to lift the Broncs to a 7-6 victory over Texas-San Antonio in the first game.

Garza homered over the fence in left-center field with two out and two on against relief pitcher J.P. McLain, giving the Broncs the lead for the first time since the third inning.

UTPA, trailed, 6-4, entering the seventh and final inning of the opener. Junior left fielder Bruce Kennedy (Mansfield, TX/Mansfield HS/Navarro JC) led off with a single, but was erased when sophomore designated hitter Matt Sisk (Fort Worth, TX/Arlington Heights HS/New Mexico) hit into a fielder’s choice. One out later, junior right fielder Skip Weast (Inola, OK/Inola HS/Crowder JC) singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Tony Ortiz (Fr. Fort Worth, TX/Nolan HS). Garza followed with his game-winning blast.

The Broncs scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Junior second baseman Jerome McCoy (Fort Worth, TX/Eastern Hills HS/Northeast Texas CC) singled, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Senior third baseman Adam Farek (Crockett, TX/Crockett HS/Cedar Valley CC) walked, scoring McCoy. Garza’s single drove in another run, and a sacrifice fly by freshman first baseman Carlos Gallardo (Mission, TX/Sharyland HS) accounted for the third.

UTSA came right back. Center fielder Phil Gentry and third baseman Mark Schramek hit solo homers in the first inning, and first baseman Justin Brandt hit a two-run shot in the third. Brandt drove in a run for UTSA in the fifth with a double. Freshman Juan Saenz’ (Mission, TX/Mission HS) pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the sixth brought UTPA within a run of the Roadrunners, but Schramek gave UTSA a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single.

Senior Jacob Pierce (Longview, TX/Longview HS/Navarro JC), the third Bronc pitcher, was the beneficiary of Garza’s late-game heroics, earning the victory to improve to 1-2. McLain was the loser and dropped to 2-2.

UTPA struck first in the nightcap. McCoy led off the top of the first with a single, moved to second on Kennedy’s hit, and scored on a single by Sisk. But the Roadrunners scored twice in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by right fielder Dustin Perez and an error by freshman center fielder Jonathan Mason (San Antonio, TX/Jay HS).

UTSA extended their lead in the fifth on Perez’ two-run single. The Broncs came back with two in the top of the sixth as Farek walked and moved to second on Weast’s single. One out later, freshman first baseman Chris Jones (Colleyville, TX/Colleyville HS) singled, scoring Farek and Weast.

The Roadrunners put the game away with three runs in the seventh, and four more in the eighth. Schramek homered, while shortstop Matt Srp and second baseman Clint Sansom each drove in a run with a hit in the seventh, while left fielder Danny Phillips’ homer keyed a four-run eighth.

Junior starter Travis Parker (Brownsville, TX/Hanna HS/UT-Brownsville) took the loss for UTPA, falling to 3-7. Reliever Jon Marc Wilcox (1-0) was the winner for UTSA.

The Broncs are now 13-28 after the split, while the Roadrunners are 20-17.  UTPA will take the weekend off, returning to action when they visit Nebraska next Tuesday and Wednesday.

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