Courtesy photo Tori Alvarado
The Vaquero trip to Oregon with a 9 to 7 victory over the Beavers, marking the program’s first win over a top six opponent in more than four decades.
Before the series, head coach Derek Matlock said the matchup would test the team against one of the strongest pitching staffs in college baseball.
“They have one of the best pitching staffs in the country,” Matlock said.
“Top to bottom. Closer, middle relief, starters. They’re phenomenal defensively. Just a really good pitching team that can really play defense. That’s the biggest thing about them.”
Despite the challenge, he said the team believed it could compete if players stayed confident and relaxed.
“We’re trying to get these kids to relax and play up to their ability, but just telling them to go have fun and play and relax and do what you’re capable of doing,” Matlock said.
“That’s are focus right now and as we try to get, you know, get in the tournament and we still got to win a series, probably to do that, just to know we’re in. We’ve definitely played with a lot of pressure all year. I don’t know why it’s been weird, but we have a great team.”
The Vaqueros responded in the series finale with one of its strongest offensive performances of the season.
Junior Armani Raygoza led the way with three hits, a home run and three runs scored, while Rocco Garza Gongora and Easton Moomau each added two RBI.
The win came after a close 4 to 2 loss in the opening game, where graduate pitcher Robert Bonilla struck out a career-high seven batters against the nationally ranked Beavers.
Matlock said playing teams like Oregon State prepares the Vaqueros for the pressure of conference play and the post-season push ahead.
“When you leave out of here with some success offensively, you feel pretty confident about facing anybody in the conference tournament,” Matlock said.
Now entering the final stretch of the regular season, the baseball team remains focused on securing a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.
“Our goal, we go into the season in the fall to prepare our guys to get in a regional, something that hasn’t been done since 1986,” he said. “Our whole focus, every game and the schedule we put together is for one reason to get us prepared to win a conference tournament and get in a regional.”
UTRGV returns home Friday to open a three-game conference series against The University of the Incarnate Word at the UTRGV Baseball Stadium May 1 at 6:30 p.m.
This is Carmen Gonzalez for Vaquero Radio.
