UTRGV Athletics Week in Review: April 5 – 11

UTRGV Athletics Week in Review: April 5 – 11
All images copyright ©Juan DeLeon Creative
Vaqueros sophomore Diamond Lilly runs during the 4×400-meter relay at the Victor Lopez Classic in Houston on March 27. PHOTO COURTESY/UTRGV ATHLETICS. 

Baseball (16-17, 8-8) 

  • Tuesday night 4-7 defeat vs. Texas State

The Vaqueros evened the score against the Bobcats in the fourth inning at four courtesy of a graduate third baseman Conrado Diaz three-RBI double to left center and a junior right fielder Freddy Rojas Jr. RBI sac-fly. 

The Bobcats would put up three runs in the eighth to down the Vaqueros as they committed fewer errors (1-5) and produced more hits (3-8).    

  • Friday night 6-1 victory vs. Utah Valley University 

The upperclassmen stepped up for the Vaqueros to help them take the first game of the series. 

Graduate left fielder Elijah Alexander had a two-home run night launching balls over the left field and center field wall.

Senior starting pitcher Kevin Stevens matched his career-high in strikeouts with 12, throwing eight innings allowing two hits and one unearned run.  

  • Saturday afternoon seven inning 5-4 victory vs. Utah Valley University

The Vaqueros took the first game of the doubleheader with clutch hitting from senior left fielder Jacob Hirsh in the sixth delivering a RBI-double. 

Hirsh also drove in a run in the second with a sac-fly to center and in the fourth showed off his arm, throwing out a Wolverine at the plate. 

Junior catcher RJ Ochoa belted his second home run of the season in the bottom of the second into the Wolverine bullpen over the left field wall. 

Senior reliever Chase Bridges was the winning pitcher tossing 2.1 innings of work allowing one hit and striking out two in 38 pitches. 

  • Saturday evening 11 inning 4-6 defeat vs. Utah Valley University 

The Wolverines took a game from the Vaqueros with a two-run shot from freshman center fielder Andrew Hacker in extras. 

Vaquero graduate shortstop Christian Sepulveda led the way offensively with a RBI-single in the second and provided clutch hitting with RBI-single in the bottom of the ninth to even the game.

  • Sunday afternoon 10 inning 6-2 victory vs. Utah Valley University

Junior first baseman Angel De La Cruz was the hero of the game, hitting a walkoff grand slam to close out the series on the winning note for the Vaqueros. 

The Vaqueros bagan the scoring in the third inning as graduate shortstop Christian Sepulveda scored from second on a Wolverine defensive error.

In the fourth, graduate second baseman Andy Atwoord belted a homerun to left field for a 2-0 lead. 

Senior reliever Chase Bridges would record his fourth win of the season, by getting two Wolverines to groundout and striking out junior PH Pacen Hayes with bases loaded in the top of the 10th. 

Women’s Golf

  • Tied for eighth place out of 11 at the Cardinal Challenge in Beaumont, Texas

In the final outing before the WAC Championship, the Vaqueros combined for a team score of 947 through three rounds tying alongside McNeese State. 

Sophomore Julie Lucio was the highest placing Vaquero, tied for 22nd, shooting a +7, +6 and +4 at the 72-par course.

Freshman Samantha Garza shot a 235 tied for 29th and junior Briana Garza posted a 239 to finish 37th. Freshman Sophia Tejeda and senior Rachel Yu finished with a score of 245 tied for 48th and 249 tied for 55th, respectively. 

Freshman Mercedes Vega competed as an individual and finished with a three-day score of 251 for 57th place. 

Men’s Soccer (6-1-2, 6-1-2)

  • Monday afternoon 0-1 defeat vs. Dixie State 

Despite having the statistical advantage in shots (14-8), shots on goal (8-5) and corners (16-2), the Vaqueros were held scoreless as they dropped their first match of the season. 

The lone goal of the match came off a bad clearance from Vaquero junior defender Elyad Shojaei in the 68th minute.

  • Friday afternoon 1-0 victory vs. Incarnate Word

The lone goal of the match came courtesy of junior forward Reshaun Walkes in the 66th minute on an assist from senior midfielder Bryce Box. 

By picking up three points and the Grand Canyon beating UNLV 2-1 Saturday night, the Vaqueros will be the No. 2 seed headed into the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas and will play the winner of No. 3 San Jose State vs. No. 6 Air Force. 4:30 p.m. CT Thursday through ESPN+. 

Women’s Soccer (10-6-2, 7-6-1)

  • Tuesday afternoon 3-0 victory vs. Dixie State in St. George, Utah

The Vaqueros were able to split the season series against the Trailblazers with their sixth clean sheet of the campaign as junior goalkeeper Maile Lunardi made five saves. 

Junior forward Emily Zapata struck early, notching her sixth goal of the season in the 11th minute. 

The Vaqueros would put the nail in the coffin in the closing minutes of the second half with sophomore midfielder Anna Torslov and junior midfielder Anna Barkey goals in the 81st and 89th. 

  • Friday afternoon 3-1 victory vs. Chicago State in Chicago 

Playing at SeatGeek Stadium, home of the NWSL Chicago Red Stars, the Vaqueros closed out the regular season on a winning note. 

Senior midfielder Gina Steiner netted goals in the 12th and 79th minutes and freshman forward Mari Liis Lillemae scored for the second time this season in the 54th. 

The Vaqueros will enter the WAC Tournament in Phoenix as No. 4 seed and will face off against the No. 5 seed New Mexico State 5  p.m. CT Tuesday through ESPN+. 

Men’s Tennis (3-15, 0-2)

  • Friday morning WAC Cluster match vs. Chicago State

The matchday was cancelled as the program will forgo the rest of the season due to the limited number of student-athletes. 

  • Sunday morning WAC Cluster match vs. Grand Canyon University

The matchday was cancelled as the program will forgo the rest of the season due to the limited number of student-athletes. 

Men’s Track and Field 

  • Four second and three third place finishes at the UIW Invitational in San Antonio

The 4×100-meter relay team of sophomore Yashwn Hamilton, graduate Yariel Matute, junior Mariano Hernandez and freshman Jermarrion Stewart placed second with a time of 40.70, the second-best time in program history. 

In the 4×400-meter relay the team of Hernandez, junior Max Carmona, Stewart and Matute set the fifth-fastest time in program history at 3:12.41 for second place. 

Senior Baffour Kyem placed second in the triple jump with a distance of 14.60 meters, fifth best in program history. 

The Vaqueros placed second in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.98 from graduate Ricardo Mendoza. 

In the long-distance events of the 1,500-meter run and the 5,000-meter run, the Vaqueros placed third with a time of 3:54.49 from junior Tristian Peña and a time of 14:47.44 from senior Abraham Chirchir, respectively. 

Senior Christian Hall-Gardner placed third in the hammer throw with a toss of 54.76 meters.

Women’s Track and Field

  • Three first, two second and one third place finishes at the UIW Invitational in San Antonio 

Graduate Desiea Buerge earned first place finishes in the shot put and discus events with distances of 14.99m and 52.62m, fourth best mark in program history, respectively. 

The 4×400-meter relay team of freshman Josefine Eriksen, sophomore Diamond Lilly, junior Zarrey Sams and sophomore Tamara Woodley topped the podium with a time of 3:46.01, second-best time in program history. 

Woodley also placed third in the 200-meter dash in a time of 24.42, the seventh best mark in program history.

In the 100-meter hurdles, graduate Aviana Goode set the fourth-best mark in program history with a time of 14.17 for second place. 

Junior Juvae Williams placed second in the hammer throw with a distance of 51.72 meters, which is tied for ninth best in program history.