The UTRGV baseball team earned a walk-off 8-7 win over the Houston Baptist Huskies after a bases-loaded wild pitch on Tuesday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
UTRGV (14-10, 4-5 WAC) sophomore pinch runner Spencer Serven scored the winning run, increasing the team’s win streak to three games. The Vaqueros loaded the bases with one out as junior left fielder Brandon Pimentel reached on an error, then catcher Bryan Sturges and right fielder Freddy Rojas Jr. knocked consecutive singles.
Sophomore RHP Zach Tjelmeland picked up the win, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, one hit and no walks. Tjelmeland recorded a massive strikeout to end the top of the ninth, leaving a Huskies runner stranded on third.
The Vaqueros took a 1-0 lead during the fourth off an RBI sacrifice fly to right from Rojas, scoring Sturges after his extra-base single.
UTRGV starting right-handed pitcher junior J.C. Ariza dazzled on the mound through four innings, tying his career-high with eight strikeouts while allowing no runs on two hits and two walks.
UTRGV plays its next four games on the road, starting with a three-game WAC series at Sam Houston on Friday.
