The UTRGV baseball team lost to the Utah Valley Wolverines 8-6 in 10 innings on Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg in front of a crowd of 5,374, the third-largest in program history.
UTRGV has now welcomed 41,431 fans through 21 dates, the second-highest single-season total in program history, behind only last year’s program record 45,461 fans across 28 dates. UTRGV is averaging 1,973 fans per date with eight home games remaining. If that average holds, UTRGV will break the current program record of 1,920 fans per date set across 20 dates in 1972.
Junior Sharyland High alumnus Martin Vazquez hit his 11th home run of the season, tied with Freddy Rojas Jr. (2022) and Hall of Famer Joe Hernandez (1975) for the 10th-highest single-season total in program history. That gave the Vaqueros (17-14, 7-7 WAC) a 1-0 lead in the first.
That was it against Mitch Mueller, who struck out five in 6.1 innings while allowing six hits and one walk.
Senior Zach Tjelmeland matched Mueller pitch for pitch, striking out eight in a career-high tying 7.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks.
The Wolverines (18-18, 9-5 WAC) tied the game at 1 in the third when, with runners on the corners and two outs, Calyn Halvorson stole second and junior Steven Lancia tried to get Burke Camperretreating to third. The throw went into left field, though, allowing Camper to score.
Cole Jordan gave the Wolverines a 2-1 lead with a home run in the sixth.
The Vaqueros tied the game at 2 in the seventh when freshman Edinburg Vela alumnus Rudy Gonzalez was plunked with the bases loaded to bring home senior Kade York.
In the eighth, Joe McBride pinch-hit and launched a grand slam to put the Wolverines up 6-2.
In the bottom of the inning, the Vaqueros loaded the base with one out. Senior Adrian Torres hit a ground ball to short that was bobbled to drive-in a run. Vazquez walked to force-in a run. Then, with two outs, Gonzalez walked to push home another run. A wild pitch scored Torres to tie the game at 6.
With one out in the 10th, Nate Bach and Isaac Lovings drew 7-pitch walks and pulled off a double-steal before Garrett Broussard hit a 2-run single against junior Anthony Tejada (1-2) to give the Wolverines the lead.
The Vaqueros tried to rally in the bottom of the inning, as singles by Torres and Vazquez brought the winning run to the plate, but Eli Sundquist (1-2) set down the final two hitters to close out the game.
UTRGV and Utah Valley conclude the series at 12 p.m. Sunday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. Fans can take advantage of the Family Fun Day: 4 for $44 promotion includes four general admission tickets, four drinks, and four hot dogs for $44.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at GoUTRGV.com/Tickets.
