The UTRGV baseball team earned its first Western Athletic Conference (WAC) victory of the season, 7-0 over the California Baptist University Lancers on Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.
The Vaqueros (9-5, 1-1 WAC) jumped on Lancers (7-7, 1-1 WAC) starter Spencer Bengard (0-1) right away, starting the first inning with three-straight singles, the last of which was an RBI-single by graduate student Montclair Cain. Graduate student Brandon Pimentel followed with an RBI-double and then sophomore Steven Lancia launched his first-career home run, a three-run shot, to cap the inning with the score 5-0. Lancia’s home run traveled 422 feet, leaving the bat at 102 miles per hour.
Bengard retired the next four baters before walking senior Zerek Saenz on four pitches with one out in the second. Sophomore Vela alum Isaac Lopez followed with an RBI-triple down the right field line to knock out Bengard and make the score 6-0.
The Vaqueros added a run in the fourth on a two-out RBI-single by Pimentel.
Lopez finished 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Saenz scored three runs while recording a hit and two walks. Pimentel went 2-for-3 while also getting hit by a pitch.
Junior Angelo Cabral (3-0) made the runs stand up, striking out six while scattering five hits and two walks in 6.0 scoreless innings.
Junior Zach Tjelmeland pitched 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out four, for his second save.
The Vaqueros and Lancers complete this three-game series on Sunday at 12 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at UTRGVTickets.com. Current UTRGV students receive free general admission with their student ID. All fans need to follow the clear bag policy, details of which can be found at GoUTRGV.com/ClearBag. Gates open at 11 a.m.
Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.