For Immediate Release: Saturday, April 05, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

BRONCS DROP TWO AT TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX—Texas A&M-Corpus Christi came from behind in the opener and built an early lead in the nightcap to defeat The University of Texas-Pan American’s baseball team, 7-3 and 10-6, in a doubleheader at Islander Field Saturday afternoon.

TAMU-CC overcame sophomore shortstop Marco Garza‘s (Mission, TX/Sharyland HS) three-run homer with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in the opener. Garza’s homer, coming after senior centerfielder Jerome McCoy (Fort Worth, TX/Eastern Hills HS/Northeast Texas CC) and freshman left fielder Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) singled to lead off the top of the third inning, staked the Broncs to a 3-0 lead.

The Islanders pushed their first run across the plate in the bottom of the third, when catcher Blair Bourque’s infield single allowed left fielder Mike Schlekewy to score from second base. First baseman Humberto Aguilar’s one-out double in the bottom of the fifth scored shortstop Hector Garanzuay, cutting Texas-Pan American’s lead to 3-2.

The Islanders took the lead in bottom of the sixth. A single by right fielder Bobby Mora and a pair of walks loaded the bases with no one out against starter and loser Ricky Anderson (So. Corinth, TX/Lake Dallas HS/North Central Texas College). Sophomore John Lopez (Mission, TX/Mission HS) then hit Garanzuay and Schlekewy, allowing the Islanders to take the lead. A wild pitch and a two-run single by Islander designated hitter Joshua Hulin finished the scoring.

Scott Walker pitched a complete game for TAMU-CC, allowing five hits, walking four and striking out 12 to improve to 4-4. Anderson took the loss and fell to 1-1.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi took advantage of three errors to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of the nightcap. A walk, a failed pickoff, an error by freshman second baseman T.J. Gilmer (Forney, TX/Forney HS) and a passed ball made it 1-0. First baseman Humberto Aguilar and Hulin drove in runs with singles to make it 3-0.

Junior catcher Matt Sisk (Fort Worth, TX/Arlington Heights HS/New Mexico) doubled and scored on an error in the second to make it 3-1, but triples by second baseman James Garner and third baseman Jaime Landin, a sacrifice fly by center fielder Mike Bruner and an RBI single by Garanzuay made it 5-1.

The Broncs rallied for three runs in the third. Freshman left fielder Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North HS) doubled and scored on Garza’s single. Sophomore first baseman Tony Ortiz (Fort Worth, TX/Nolan HS) doubled, and senior designated hitter Bruce Kennedy (Mansfield, TX/Mansfield HS/Northeast Texas CC) singled to make it 5-4.

The Islanders scored four times in the sixth. Schlekewy hit a three-run homer, and Mora added a sacrifice fly. Senior right fielder Jerome McCoy (Fort Worth, TX/Eastern Hills HS/Northeast Texas CC) tripled in two runs for the Broncs in the eighth.

“In the first game, we were in the game until the sixth,” said UTPA Head Coach Willie Gawlik. “We weren’t able to throw strikes at that point, and it cost us. In the second game, we had trouble making the plays, we made five errors, and we have to do a better job of making the plays. We’ll come back and hope to play better tomorrow.”

Eric Martanovic, who allowed six runs and 11 hits in eight innings, earned the victory and improved to 3-1. Bronc starter Tommy Sorden (Austin, TX/Bowie HS/Navarro College), who pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, took the loss and fell to 2-3.

The Broncs fell to 17-18 with the losses, while the Islanders improved to 20-12. The teams will conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon.

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