The UTRGV baseball team scored twice in the 10th inning to come from behind and beat the Abilene Christian (ACU) Wildcats, a team receiving votes in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, 2-1 in game two of a doubleheader on Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in front of a Bark in the Park doubleheader crowd of 2,152 humans and 216 dogs.
UTRGV won game one of Saturday’s doubleheader 8-4.
UTRGV has now drawn 38,229 fans across 25 home dates this season, the third-highest total in program history, behind only the 39,700 that attended 26 home dates in 1975 and the 38,400 that attended 20 home dates in 1972. On Saturday, UTRGV surpassed last year’s total of 37,220, accomplished across 24 dates, as well as the third-highest total of 37,450, accomplished across 26 dates during the 1971 College World Series season.
The Wildcats (25-14, 10-8 WAC) scored the game’s first run in the top of the 10th on an RBI-double by Maddox Miesse.
In the bottom of the inning, junior Kade York drew an eight-pitch leadoff walk from Blake Anderson (4-4). After a sacrifice bunt, sophomore Vela alum Isaac Lopez hit a ground ball to short. The Wildcats tried to get York, but he headed back to second and eluded the tag, putting two on with one out for graduate student Brandon Pimentel, who hit a game-tying single. Sophomore Steven Lancia came up as a pinch-hitter and worked the count 3-2 before sending the seventh pitch of his at-bat into right field to bring home Lopez and end the game.
York finished with a career-high three walks.
Junior Zach Tjelmeland (3-1) earned the win in relief by striking out five in 2.0 innings.
Senior Colten Davis started for the Vaqueros (22-16, 9-9 WAC), striking out a career-high 12 in a career-high 8.0 scoreless innings. Davis allowed just three singles and didn’t walk anybody. He also induced two double plays while facing just two over the minimum.
UTRGV hosts Incarnate Word on $2 Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. General admission tickets and select concessions will be available for $2 or less.
Tickets are on sale now at UTRGVTickets.com.