March 27, 2008

Game Notes - New Mexico State in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Game Information
× - The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team will match-up against New Mexico State in Las Cruces, NM in a three-game series beginning on Friday with game time slated for 6:05 p.m.

× - Following the first game against the Aggies, the Broncs will play game two on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. and on Sunday with a 11:05 a.m. start time.

× - The Broncs are coming off a split against Lamar University on Tuesday in Beaumont, TX. The Broncs improved to 8-13 on the season and 3-9 on the road.

× - This will be the ninth all-time meeting between the Broncs and the Aggies with the series tied at 4-4. The last meeting was in the 2003 season, with New Mexico State recording a four-game series over the Broncs.

× - New Mexico State dropped its overall record to 10-11 following a 13-1 setback over rival New Mexico on Tuesday (Mar. 25). Leading the way offensively for the Aggies is Joseph Scaperotta who leads the team with six homeruns, 27 RBI's and 23 runs scored.

× - This season the Aggies are 7-6 on their home field and 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference .

× - The Broncs will be back at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium on Friday (April 4) when they take on New Orleans in a three-game series, with game one slated for 6:05 p.m.

× - The Broncs three home games versus New Orleans can be heard online courtesy of audiosportsonline.net with play-by-play announcer Jonah Goldberg.

Broncs Split With Lamar University
× - Three runs was all the Broncs needed to secure their eighth victory of the season in a 3-2 win over Lamar University on Tuesday (Mar. 25) in Beaumont, TX.

× - Three Broncs finished with multi-hit performances including Jordan Rutenbar who went 2-for-4 to go with two RBI's and one run scored while Ryan Vest and Jose Mendoza each went 2-for-4 in the contest.

× - After two scoreless innings, the Broncs finally got on board in the third when Mendoza singled up the middle and advanced to second following a Joe B. Gutierrez single to left field. With a runner in scoring position, Rutenbar singled to up the middle, plating Mendoza and gave the Broncs a 1-0 lead.

× - Rutenbar would add another run for the Broncs in the fifth, as he connected on his second homerun of the season making the score 3-0.

× - The Cardinals threatened in the bottom of the sixth when they recorded two runs on two hits to cut the deficit to 3-2. Travis Dunson led things off with a single to center field and crossed home plate following a Ryan Saldivar homerun down the left field line.

× - Pitching a compete game for the Broncs was Shane Janecka, allowing five hits, two runs - all earned while striking out five. Janecka joins newcomer A.J. Franco, the only two Broncs to throw a complete game this season.

× - The Broncs weren't so lucky in game two of the scheduled double-header against Lamar, as they suffered a 11-1 setback in seven innings.

× - The Cardinals went on a hitting frenzy, connecting on five runs on five hits in the bottom half of the first inning, to make the score 5-0.

× - The Broncs lone run came in the third when Gonzalez would reach on a walk and would later score on a fielder's choice by Gutierrez.

× - After four scoreless innings for the Broncs and six runs added to the scoreboard for Lamar, the ten run rule was enforced.

× - Five Bronc hurlers were used in the contest, starting pitcher Philip Rodriguez gets the loss, dropping his overall record to 0-2.

Four Broncs Earn All-Tournament Team Accolades
× - The UTPA baseball team were crowned co-champions of the Hillcrest Ford Classic Tournament and four Broncs were selected to the All-Tournament Team on Sunday (Mar. 9).

× - Newcomers Billy Donaho, Jordan Rutenbar, A.J. Franco and senior Roly Gonzalez were all-tournament team recipients for their outstanding performance in the three day tournament.

× - Donaho finished the tournament with a .545 batting average with four runs scored, four RBI's and a grand slam that came in the fourth inning in a 12-6 victory against Sam Houston State (Mar. 9).

× - Rutenbar recorded a .429 batting average to go with six RBI's and five runs scored in three games. In all three games, Rutenbar posted at least one hit while collecting two RBI's.

× - Gonzalez collected a .467 batting average to go with six stolen bases. The Broncs senior posted eight hits in 14 at bats to go along with six runs scored and a RBI.

× - The most impressive Bronc of the weekend was newcomer A.J. Franco who pitched a complete game in a 6-1 victory against Saint Louis on March 8. Franco improved his record to 2-1 while fanning five batters while only allowed one run.

Former Broncs Head to the Minors
× - After finishing their 2007-08 senior campaign, Osiel Flores, Ray Silva, Patrick Brooks and Chad Linder to the next step in furthering their dreams of playing in the major leagues as all they were signed to minor league contracts.

× - Flores was the first Bronc to sign a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians and headed to the New York-Penn League which is a short-season Class "A" league.

× - Former third baseman Patrick Brooks signed a free agent deal with the Chicago Cubs and traveled to the Chicago Cub's rookie league in Mesa, AZ.

× - UTPA pitcher Ray Silva signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and made his debut with the Johnson City Cardinals this past summer.

× - Former UTPA pitcher Chad Linder signed with the River City Rascals which is a Division I Independent Baseball team in the Frontier League.

Broncs Host First Annual National Independent Tournament
× - Following the Broncs final three game series versus Texas Christian University, UTPA will close out the season with the National Independent Tournament in Edinburg, TX during the week of May 21-25.

× - Teams that will be featured in the NIT will be Northern Colorado, New York Tech, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Chicago State, and Le Moyne.

× - The tournament seeds will be announced on the Monday prior to the opening of the tournament. The seeds will be determined by record and NCAA RPI.

× - NCAA Regional selections take place on May 26 and the winner has an opportunity for a possible NCAA tournament bid.

UTPA Sports Information