For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director,
(956) 381-2240
SAN MARCOS, TX-Southwest Texas State scored five runs in the first three innings to defeat The University of Texas-Pan American's baseball team, 9-4, and sweep their doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at Bobcat Field. The Bobcats won the opener, 5-0.
The Broncs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the nightcap when sophomore shortstop Marco Garza (Mission, TX/Sharyland HS) reached on an error by Ignacio Suarez, moved to second on a hit by sophomore first baseman Tony Ortiz (Fort Worth, TX/Nolan HS), and scored on a single by sophomore catcher Matt Eichel (Grapevine, TX/Grapevine HS).
SWTSU came back to take the lead in the bottom of the first on RBI singles by left fielder Joey Zigal and third baseman Marc Coles. The Bobcats scored on Garza's error and a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Aaron Perdue in the second, then added a run in the third on center fielder Evan Tierce's run-scoring single.
The Bobcats broke it open with four runs in the fifth. Suarez doubled in one run, left fielder Richard Martinez's grounder drove in another, and right fielder Jacob Spencer tripled home a run and scored on a wild pitch.
Texas-Pan American struck for three runs in the top of sixth. Ortiz and junior catcher Matt Sisk (Fort Worth, TX/Arlington Heights HS/New Mexico) led off with singles and freshman right fielder Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) tripled them both home. Freshman designated hitter Otis Powers (Brownsville, TX/Rivera HS) followed with a sacrifice fly.
Junior lefthander Tommy Sorden (Austin, TX/Bowie HS/Navarro College), the first of four Bronc pitchers, took the loss in the nightcap and dropped to 2-2. Cory Covert allowed an unearned run and four hits in five innings and earned the victory, improving to 2-4.
The Broncs had just five hits in the opener, which was resumed in the bottom of the third inning after being suspended Tuesday night. Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) had three of them, and by hitting in both games, he stretched his hitting streak to 21 games, one short of the school record of 22, set by Joel Hernandez during the 1975 season. Alamia reached on infield singles in the second and fifth innings and doubled to left-center field in the eighth.
SWTSU broke a scoreless tie against the Broncs' Aaron Guerra (Fr. Edinburg, TX/Edinburg HS) in the fourth on center fielder Evan Tierce's run-scoring single. The Bobcats scored again in the sixth on a balk by relief pitcher John Lopez (So. Mission, TX/Mission HS), then added three more runs in the eighth on an RBI single by catcher Ben Carter and a two-run single by Martinez.
"Travis threw very well last night, but our pitchers were erratic today," said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. "Eventually, they're just going to sit on fastballs and hit them. Their pitchers threw strikes, and in the first game, we only had two runners get to second base and one get to third. Louie had three hits in the first game and a two-run triple in the second game. His play was our bright spot for the day. We have to come back against Dallas Baptist and do a better job of playing fundamental baseball."
Gabe Wisneski, the second of three SWTSU pitchers, allowed four hits in four scoreless innings and earned the victory to improve to 1-1. Guerra, who relieved starter Travis Parker (Sr. Brownsville, TX/Hanna HS/UT-Brownsville) in the third inning after Parker pitched two scoreless innings Tuesday night, took the loss and fell to 2-4.
The Broncs fell to 14-15
with the losses, while the Bobcats improved to 11-16. Texas-Pan American will
return to action when they host Dallas Baptist Friday night in the first game
of a two-game series at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
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