The UTRGV baseball team defeated the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners, a team receiving votes in the latest USA Today Coaches and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls, 5-3 on Tuesday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.
The win snaps the five-game skid of the Vaqueros (10-10) and the 10-game winning streak of the Roadrunners (18-4).
The Vaqueros broke through against Drake Smith (1-1) with two outs in the second. Junior Adrian Torres and sophomore Erick Martinez drew back-to-back walks on 3-2 pitches, setting up an RBI double by junior Kade York. Senior Zerek Saenz followed with a two-run single to make the score 3-0.
The Vaqueros added two more runs in the fourth on a two-out, two-run single by sophomore and Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez to make the score 5-0.
York went a career-high-tying 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Lopez finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Senior J.C. Ariza (1-2) cruised through the first four innings, striking out four and allowing two singles. During the fifth, however, Caleb Hill and Taylor Smith hit home runs to make the score 5-2.
Senior Alex Verdugo took over in the sixth, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out six and allowing one hit.
Graduate student Kris Massey recorded the final out of the eighth before junior Sebastian Mejia worked around an Antonio Valdez solo home run for his first save.
UTRGV visits New Mexico State for a three-game series starting at 7 p.m. Friday.