The UTRGV baseball team beat the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 6-4 on Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in front of a crowd of 1,515.
Junior Hank Warren led the Vaqueros (7-5) by going 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and a career-high three runs scored. It was Warren’s third-straight multi-hit game and his fourth in a span of five games. Senior Kade York finished 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBIs.
The Vaqueros scored three runs in the second against Hunter Pidek (1-3). Junior Sharyland High alumnus Martin Vazquez led of the inning with an opposite field home run. Then, with the bases loaded and two outs, senior Adrian Torres hit a 2-run single to make the score 3-0.
The Golden Grizzlies (3-9) scratched a run across against senior Tyler Valdez in the fourth on a 2-out double by Aidan Orr to make the score 3-1.
The Vaqueros got that run back in the bottom of the inning on a York RBI-single before the Golden Grizzlies pushed across an unearned run in the fifth.
Valdez went 4.2 innings, striking out five while scattering seven hits and one walk.
The Vaqueros answered again in the sixth when York came up with runners on the corners and laid down a squeeze to bring home Warren and make the score 5-2.
The Golden Grizzlies pulled within one in the seventh. Junior Francisco Hernandez (2-1) retired the first seven batters he faced. With two outs in the seventh, however, Trent Ricesingled on a 3-2 pitch. Ian Cleary followed with an RBI-triple and then Brandon Nigh singled to make the score 5-4.
Warren gave the Vaqueros an insurance run with a leadoff home run in the eighth, his second in as many games.
Senior Edinburg Vela alumnus Nico Rodriguez recorded the final five outs for his second save.
UTRGV and Oakland play the middle game of the series at 1 p.m. Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
It’s Teacher Appreciation Day. PK-12 teachers receive free admission with a school ID. Additionally, fans that purchase a ticket to this game will receive free admission to the men’s basketball game vs. Southern Utah at 6:30 p.m. or vice versa.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at GoUTRGV.com/Tickets.
