EDINBURG — The UTRGV baseball team had a grand opening to its 2023 season as the Vaqueros blanked the Houston Christian Huskies 10-0 in seven innings Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.
Game 2 between the Vaqueros (1-0) and Huskies (0-1) is set for 6:30 p.m. today with the series finale scheduled for noon Sunday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg. Tickets can be purchased at UTRGVTickets.com. Both games are also available to stream online on ESPN+, ESPN’s streaming service.
Friday night starter Jesus Aldaz and former Edinburg Vela pitcher Nico Rodriguez combined to pitch seven innings of shutout ball to lead the Vaqueros past the Huskies.
Aldaz (1-0) threw five innings and allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six. Rodriguez entered in relief during the sixth inning and surrendered one hit with three strikeouts.
“Our lineup has a chance over time to go get you and I thought that’s where we did a good job, but it all started with starting pitching, putting up a bunch of zeroes, letting our offense stay in it,” UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said.
Eight different Vaqueros recorded hits against Houston Christian, breaking the game open during the fifth inning.
UTRGV plated five runs during the fifth with RBIs from center fielder Zerek Saenz, second baseman Isaac Lopez, first baseman Brandon Pimentel, third baseman Jacob Sanchez and catcher Steven Lancia.
After tacking on three more runs during the sixth, Montclair Cain knocked in a two-run, walkoff double to end the game early.
“I think towards the beginning of the game, we were a little anxious — Friday night, opening night. We had a team meeting in the dugout, and the message was to slow down and just see the ball,” Lopez said. “Zerek started off hot, I came in back after that and it was wheels rolling.”
The Edinburg Vela alumnus Lopez finished 2-for-4 with one RBI, one walk, one stolen base and three runs scored. PSJA High grad Jacob Sanchez had one RBI and scored twice. Cain went 1-for-3 with three RBIs, one walk and one run scored. Pimentel tied a career high with three walks.
The No. 6 jersey of former Pan American baseball player Jody Ramsey was retired before the game. Pan American No. 6 jerseys were also presented to Ramsey’s family in attendance.
A student-athlete at the time, Ramsey died tragically in an electrical accident during the construction of the baseball stadium being built on the Pan American campus in 1973. Ramsey’s No. 6 now has a permanent spot on the wall in left field, next to the No. 44 of former coach Al Ogletree.
