The UTRGV baseball team clinched a spot in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament by beating the California Baptist Lancers 8-5 on Sunday at James W. Totman Stadium in Riverside, California.

The WAC Tournament includes the top eight teams in the WAC and runs May 21-25 at Hohokam Stadium, the spring training home of the A’s, in Mesa, Ariz.

Senior Kade York led the Vaqueros (24-22, 13-14 WAC) offensively by going 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored. Freshman Easton Moomau finished 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Graduate student CJ Valdez went 2-for-3 with a home run, two walks and two runs scored. Junior Hank Warren finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.

On the first pitch of the game, York doubled off Seth Mattox (1-1) and then Moomau followed with an RBI-single to give the Vaqueros an immediate 1-0 lead.

Senior Tyler Valdez (3-3) retired the first seven batters he faced. In the third, though, a hit by pitch, a walk and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with one out to set up a sacrifice fly by Mitchel Simon to tie the game at 1.

The Lancers (32-20, 16-11 WAC) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a 2-out double by Julian Alvarez.

Valdez struck out four in a career-high tying 6.0 innings while allowing just two hits and three walks.

In the fifth, graduate student Adrian Torres walked, junior Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez singled and then a balk put the runners at second and third to start the inning. Graduate student and PSJA North alum Damian Rodriguez followed with an RBI-groundout and then York lifted a sacrifice fly to give the Vaqueros a 3-2 lead.

With one out in the seventh, Rodriguez got hit by a pitch and York followed with an RBI-double down the right field line to make the score 4-2.

The Lancers got one back in the seventh on an RBI-single by Garret Ostrander to make the score 4-3.

The Vaqueros scored twice in the eighth, as with the bases loaded and one out, Lopez was plunked and freshman Armani Raygoza walked to force-in runs. York followed with a sacrifice fly to make the score 7-3.

The Lancers loaded the bases in the eighth, leading to a 2-out, 2-run double by Ostrander to make the score 7-5.

Valdez responded with a home run in the ninth to make the score 8-5.

Junior Jack Lopez recorded the final five outs for his first save.

UTRGV visits Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6 p.m. Tuesday to wrap up nonconference play.

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The UTRGV baseball team defeated Abilene Christian 9-6 on Sunday at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene to win their Western Athletic Conference series 2-1.

Senior PSJA North alumnus Damian Rodriguez led the Vaqueros (23-20, 12-12 WAC) by going 2-for-4 with a home run, a career-high three RBI and a career-high tying two runs scored. Junior Hank Warren went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Senior Kade York finished 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Freshman Easton Moomau went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and an RBI.

The Wildcats (28-20, 15-9 WAC) scored first, going up 1-0 on an RBI-groundout by Gino D’Alessio.

The Vaqueros responded with a five-run third. Rodriguez opened the inning by getting plunked by Brett Lanman (6-2). After a York single and a sacrifice bunt, junior Sharyland High alumnus Martin Vazquez hit a 2-run single. Senior Steven Lancia followed with a walk and then graduate student CJ Valdez hit an RBI-double. A wild pitch scored Lancia and Warren capped the inning with an RBI-double, making the score 5-1.

The Wildcats got two runs back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-double by Benjamin Greer and an RBI-fielder’s choice by Reese Borho to make the score 5-3.

The Vaqueros loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, setting up a Rodriguez 2-run single to make the score 7-3.

The Wildcats got one back in the fifth when a wild pitch scored Greer.

In the sixth, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out. Garrett Williams was plunked to force-in a run and then Borho came up with a sacrifice fly to make the score 7-6.

The Vaqueros pushed back in the eighth, as Rodriguez led off with a home run, York drew a 4-pitch walk, and then Moomau hit an RBI-double to make the score 9-6.

Senior Edinburg Vela alumnus Nico Rodriguez (4-0) earned the win by pitching a career-high 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.

UTRGV plays the first of three games at California Baptist beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

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The UTRGV baseball team defeated Abilene Christian 9-6 on Sunday at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene to win their Western Athletic Conference series 2-1.

Senior PSJA North alumnus Damian Rodriguez led the Vaqueros (23-20, 12-12 WAC) by going 2-for-4 with a home run, a career-high three RBI and a career-high tying two runs scored. Junior Hank Warren went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Senior Kade York finished 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Freshman Easton Moomau went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and an RBI.

The Wildcats (28-20, 15-9 WAC) scored first, going up 1-0 on an RBI-groundout by Gino D’Alessio.

The Vaqueros responded with a five-run third. Rodriguez opened the inning by getting plunked by Brett Lanman (6-2). After a York single and a sacrifice bunt, junior Sharyland High alumnus Martin Vazquez hit a 2-run single. Senior Steven Lancia followed with a walk and then graduate student CJ Valdez hit an RBI-double. A wild pitch scored Lancia and Warren capped the inning with an RBI-double, making the score 5-1.

The Wildcats got two runs back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-double by Benjamin Greer and an RBI-fielder’s choice by Reese Borho to make the score 5-3.

The Vaqueros loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, setting up a Rodriguez 2-run single to make the score 7-3.

The Wildcats got one back in the fifth when a wild pitch scored Greer.

In the sixth, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out. Garrett Williams was plunked to force-in a run and then Borho came up with a sacrifice fly to make the score 7-6.

The Vaqueros pushed back in the eighth, as Rodriguez led off with a home run, York drew a 4-pitch walk, and then Moomau hit an RBI-double to make the score 9-6.

Senior Edinburg Vela alumnus Nico Rodriguez (4-0) earned the win by pitching a career-high 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.

UTRGV plays the first of three games at California Baptist beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

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The top third of UTRGV’s lineup combined for eight hits and six runs scored in a 7-4 victory over the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Friday at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene.

Batting leadoff, senior Kade York went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Hitting second, freshman Easton Moomau went a career-best 3-for-5 with a career-high three runs scored. Batting third, junior Sharyland High alumnus Martin Vazquez went a career-high tying 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Junior Hank Warren also went 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBI.

The first three Vaqueros (22-19, 11-11 WAC) recorded hits against Austin Glaze (4-4) in the first, as York doubled, Moomau singled, and Vazquez hit an RBI-single. Junior Steven Lancia followed with a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0.

The Wildcats (27-19, 14-8 WAC) tied the game against senior Zach Tjelmeland (5-2) in the bottom of the inning as Miller Ladusau and Benjamin Greer led off with back-to-back home runs.

The Wildcats took a 2-1 lead in the second on a 1-out triple by Aaron Staehely.

In the third, though, the Vaqueros loaded the bases with one out, setting up a sacrifice fly by graduate student CJ Valdez. After a walk re-loaded the bases, Warren hit a 2-run single to give the Vaqueros a 5-3 lead.

In the fourth, York, Moomau and Vazquez hit 1-out singles to load the bases. Lancia followed with a sacrifice fly and then freshman Armani Raygoza hit an RBI-single to make the score 7-3.

The Wildcats got one back in the seventh when Staehely moved to third on a ball in the dirt and scored when the throw to third went into left field.

That was it against Tjelmeland, who struck out seven in 7 innings.

UTRGV and Abilene Christian play the middle game of this three-game series at 10 a.m. Saturday. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

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