EDINBURG — UTRGV right-hander Jesus Aldaz and California Baptist starter Liam Rocha were locked in a pitcher’s duel for the first five innings of their Western Athletic Conference opener Friday night at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.
The Lancers broke through with a four-run sixth inning, however, to pull off a 6-3 win over the Vaqueros. UTRGV drops to 8-5 overall and 0-1 in WAC play. CBU improves to 7-6 on the year and 1-0 in conference.
“They’re a good team. We know who they are, and we know what they’ve done the last four years. They’ve been at the top of the league, won the league, so it’s going to be a really good series,” UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said. “We’ve been in this situation before. We got a good couple starters coming through for us and that was their best guy, no doubt, on paper.”
The Vaqueros led 3-1 after a two-run homer in the fifth by Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez. Aldaz was locked in for the first five innings, allowing just two hits, and it felt as if UTRGV was on its way to a win in its WAC opener.
Then, CBU answered with a run on a wild pitch, a pair of RBI doubles and an RBI single to pull ahead for good in the top of the sixth.
Aldaz (2-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings and surrendered five earned runs off six hits and two walks, striking out six. Sebastian Mejia took over in relief and pitched 3 1/3 innings with four punchouts and one earned run.
UTRGV right fielder Montclair Cain, third baseman Roberto Gonzalez and catcher Steven Lancia recorded two hits apiece. Cain drove in the first UTRGV run with an RBI single that scored designated hitter and Edinburg Vela alumnus RJ Ochoa from second after he reached on a walk and advanced on a wild pitch during the bottom of the second.
Matlock said the Vaqueros won’t be fazed being down 1-0 because they’ve been in this position before, after losing last week’s series opener against Houston in 13 innings before taking Games 2 and 3 to win the series. He knows California Baptist is among the best teams in the conference and is confident UTRGV can find a way to answer tonight and Sunday.
“We’re fine. It’s exciting to have a good team and a good bullpen and not be panicked over losing,” Matlock said. “(CBU) is good and played a really hard schedule. … Now, our backs are against the wall and it’s like we’re against Houston, we got to win two in a row, and this business is about winning a series.
The Vaqueros and Lancers will play Game 2 of their series at 6:30 p.m. today and Game 3 at noon Sunday, both at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.