RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team clinched a weekend series victory by beating the Tarleton Texans 13-2 in seven innings on Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in front of a crowd of 2,512 humans and 154 dogs.
UTRGV has now drawn 30,569 fans (not including the dogs) through 20 home dates, the highest total since prior to 1990. The previous high water mark during that time is 28,187 through 31 dates in 2019. Full season attendance data is not currently consistently available prior to 1990, although the top three attended seasons in program history are believed to be 1975 (39,700 across 26 dates), 1972 (38,400 across 20 dates) and 1971 (37,450 through 26 dates). UTRGV has four home dates remaining.
Graduate student Freddy Rojas Jr. led the Vaqueros (25-18, 11-9 WAC) offensively by going 3-for-3 with his eighth home run, a walk, a career-high tying four RBI and a career-high four runs scored. Junior Chris Mondesi finished 2-for-4 with his first home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Graduate student Jacob Hirsh went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and one run scored. Graduate student Cameron Blake went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Freshman Vela alum Isaac Lopez finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Vaqueros scored their first four runs on home runs, as Rojas hit a two-run shot in the second and Mondesi hit a two-run shot in the fourth against Jake Burcham (0-3).
Then, after the Texans (13-29, 6-14 WAC) scored on a London Green RBI-single in the top of the fifth, the Vaqueros responded with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. The Vaqueros started the inning by putting runners on the corners to set up an RBI-double by graduate student Brett Cain. One batter later, with the bases loaded, Rojas hit an RBI-single. One out after that, Hirsh hit a two-run double. Then, after an error put runners on the corners, Blake hit an RBI-single. One out later, junior Brandon Pimentel capped the inning with an RBI-single to make the score 11-1.
The Vaqueros added two runs in the sixth when Lopez was plunked with the bases loaded and Blake hit into an RBI-fielder’s choice.
That made a winner of junior Jesus Aldaz (5-3), who struck out five in 5.0 innings while allowing one run on five hits and three walks.
The Texans added a run in the ninth on a two-out RBI-single by Zach Mesa.
UTRGV and Tarleton complete this three-game series at noon today. Gates open at 11 a.m. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at UTRGVTickets.com. Those unable to attend the game in person can watch in the United States on ESPN+ or internationally at WACSports.com/Watch.
