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For Immediate
Release: Sunday, March 16, 2003 BRONCS DOWN IONA AT UTPA/AL OGLETREE CLASSIC EDINBURG, TX- The University of Texas-Pan American's baseball team kept their fans' interest for all nine innings of their game against Iona in the final game of the UTPA/Al Ogletree Classic at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium Sunday night. The Broncs took a 9-0 lead, then allowed Iona to score eight unanswered runs before holding off the Gaels, 9-8, Sunday night. Texas-Pan American started early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Sophomore designated hitter Juan Saenz (Mission, TX/Mission HS) drove in a run with a run-scoring single, and another scored on a balk by Iona starter Brian Baltz. The Broncs added another run in the second when sophomore center fielder John Lopez (Mission, TX/Mission HS) doubled home a run. UTPA added five more runs in the third inning. Freshman right fielder Otis Powers (Brownsville, TX/River HS) singled home two runs, a double by junior shortstop Aldo Alonzo (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg HS/UT-Brownsville) accounted for another, and two more scored on an error by Iona left fielder Phil Kump. A sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Matt Eichel (Grapevine, TX/Grapevine HS) made it 9-0 in the fourth. The Gaels broke through against Bronc starter Tommy Sorden (Jr. Austin, TX/Bowie HS/Navarro College) with a run in the fifth, then knocked out Sorden with three runs in the sixth. Doubles by designated hitter Luke Lambo and right fielder Rob Fortner produced three more runs in the seventh. But UTPA reliever Johnny Gibson (Sachse, TX/Naaman Forest HS/Collin County HS), who relieved with one out and runners at first and third, struck out second baseman Mark Zettl after a missed bunt on a squeeze play allowed the Broncs to trap third baseman Robert Michitsch between third and home, Gibson finished the game, allowing a hit in the ninth. "We had a 9-0 lead, we had it in cruise control, and one of our guys got picked off, one of their guys got thrown out, and we had a fight on our hands after that," said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. "Johnny Gibson gave up a big hit last night, but he came back and got the save. We hit the ball well, and we did a good job executing on our hit and run plays." Freshman right fielder Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) singled, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. He has now hit safely in 17 of the 20 games he has played in, and is just five games away from the school record hitting streak of 22 games, set by Joel Hernandez during the 1975 season. Sorden, who allowed four runs and six hits while walking four and striking out 10 in 5 2/3 innings, earned the victory, improving his record to 2-1, while Baltz, the Iona starter, took the loss and fell to 0-1. Gibson picked up his second save of the season. The Broncs improved to 12-13 with the victory, while Iona fell to 1-4. UTPA also finished second in the tournament with a 2-1 record to Iona's 1-2. Illinois finished first with a 3-0 mark, and Prairie View was fourth at 0-3. Texas-Pan American will return to action when they host the Gaels Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. BA-48-03031603 |