For Immediate Release:  Thursday, April 3, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

BRONCS HIT THE ROAD FOR A DOZEN, VISIT ISLANDERS

EDINBURG, TX—After playing 25 of their first 33 games at the friendly confines of the Edinburg Baseball Stadium, The University of Texas-Pan American’s baseball team will begin a 12-game stretch of road games when they visit Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this weekend. The Broncs and Islanders will play three games. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday at 1:00 p.m; and a single game Sunday, also at 1:00. Following this weekend’s games, Texas-Pan American will visit Texas, Oral Roberts, Oklahoma State, Texas again and Texas-San Antonio before returning home to face UTSA again in a doubleheader April 30^th.

“We’re looking at this as though phase one of our season is over,” said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. “We’re now in phase two of our schedule, which will be the next 12 games. Phase three will begin when we come back home, and that will be the remainder of the schedule.”

The Broncs will take a 17-16 record into this weekend’s series. UTPA is 17-8 at home, and is still looking for its first victory on the road. TAMU-CC is 18-12, and has lost four games in a row since sweeping a doubleheader against Incarnate Word March 25^th.

“This is the start of a long road trip,” said Gawlik. “We haven’t played that well on the road, and we’re going to try to put some good games together on this extended road trip. We have to play good fundamental baseball, and play the way we are capable of playing. We don’t have anyone who can step up and hit a three-run home run on a consistent basis, so we have to go out and play good fundamental baseball. We have some tough opponents coming up, and we have to have people step up and achieve what they’re capable of achieving.”

The Broncs took two of three games from the Islanders at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium March 1^st and 2^nd, and TAMU-CC will be looking to return the favor. “This weekend’s games will be a challenge for us,” said Gawlik. “They have some good hitters. They’ve got a winning record, and we’re looking forward to playing them.”

Texas-Pan American will return to action when they visit Texas Tuesday evening.

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