OREM, Utah – The UTRGV baseball team is now on a six-game winning streak in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play thanks to a 3-1 win over the Utah Valley University Wolverines on Friday at UCCU Ballpark.

Overall, the Vaqueros (19-13, 7-6 WAC) are winners of nine of their last 11 games.

The Vaqueros got on the board against Logan Gerling (5-2) in the second, when with runners on the corners and one out, junior Adrian Torres hit a grounder to short for a run-scoring fielder’s choice to make the score 1-0.

In the fourth, graduate student Brandon Pimentel hit a no-doubt home run to right field, his ninth of the season, and then one out later, graduate student Montcair Clain cleared the center field wall with his third home run of the season to make the score 3-0.

Pimentel now has 21 home runs in his UTRGV career, tied for the second-highest total in program history with Freddy Rojas Jr. (2000-22) and Jesse Gutierrez (2000). The program record holder is 27 by Hall of Famer Mitchell Moran(1981-83).

Graduate student Jesus Aldaz (3-2) made the runs stand up, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four in 6.0 innings.

The Wolverines (17-16, 4-7 WAC) scored their run in the fifth on a groundout by Matthew Schwarz.

Junior Zach Tjelmeland pitched a season-high tying 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out a career-high tying five, for his career-high third save.

UTRGV and Utah Valley play the middle game of this 3-game series on Saturday at 3 p.m. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and 5×5 Brewing Co. announced on Wednesday the creation of Los Vaqueros beer, a blood orange kölsch style ale that will soon be available in local stores and restaurants as well as UTRGV Athletics events at which alcohol is served.

Los Vaqueros is expected to be available at UTRGV baseball’s final home series, May 12-14 against Grand Canyon at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. 5×5 Brewing Co. will host a tailgate party to introduce the new beer to fans before the May 12 game starting at 4 p.m. The game starts at 6:30 p.m.

“This is an incredible opportunity to spread the Vaqueros brand throughout the Valley in a unique way,” UTRGV Vice President & Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. “We are grateful for our partnership with 5×5 Brewing to develop and market Los Vaqueros.”

Los Vaqueros will also be available in branded cans in most Rio Grande Valley H-E-B, Specs, Total Wine & More, and El Tigre locations. A complete list of restaurants serving Los Vaqueros using a branded tap is still being compiled. Any restaurants that want to request Los Vaqueros can do so by ordering through L&F Distributors.

“We are proud to be a small part of UTRGV Athletics putting the Valley on the map,” 5×5 Brewing Co. Director of Operations and Owner George Rice said. “We believe that beer should be exciting, and right now, there is a lot to be excited about with UTRGV Athletics.”

5×5 Brewing Co. is owned by 6 United States military veterans: George Rice (Army), Ray Franklin (Army), Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (Marine Corps.), Jorge Gonzalez (Marine Corps), Sean Downey (Marine Corps), and Alex Gelman (Navy).

This veteran-owned and operated brewery found its origins in the heart of Mission and quickly spread throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The brewery’s primary focus is to provide a community for veterans, service men and women, and their families who love to drink beer as a way to connect with one another.

5×5 Brewing Co. – Battle Born, Texas Made!

CORPUS CHRISTI – The UTRGV baseball team closed out the 2022-23 South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, with an 11-2 victory over the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders on Tuesday at Chapman Field.

UTRGV wins the showdown by a final score of 36-28, earning three points for the victory and an additional point for drawing 2,470 fans for the March 14 home game compared to the 439 that attended Tuesday’s road contest.

The top three Vaqueros (18-13) in the batting order combined to go 10-for-15 (.667) with four RBI and six runs scored. Senior Zerek Saenz went 3-for-5 with a walk, an RBI and a season-high tying three runs scored. Sophomore Vela alum Isaac Lopez went a career-best 4-for-6 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Graduate student Brandon Pimentel went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Additionally, sophomore Adrian Torreswent 2-for-4 with his first triple as a Vaquero and a career-high three RBI, junior PSJA alum Jacob Sanchez went 2-for-5 with two RBI, and senior Roberto Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and an RBI.

Saenz started the scoring in the second with a two-out RBI-single off Hayden Thomas (3-4) to make the score 1-0.

In the third, Torres hit an RBI-single andSanchez followed by driving in a run with a fielder’s choice to make the score 3-0.

Saenz opened the fourth with an infield single. Lopez followed with an RBI-double and then Pimentel hit an RBI-single. Three batters later, with two on and two out, Torres hit a 2-run triple to make the score 7-0.

Gonzalez put the Vaqueros up 8-0 in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly. The Islanders (14-20) responded in the bottom of the inning with a Leo Markotic RBI-single.

That was it against sophomore Randy Garza (2-1), who struck out seven while scattering three hits and one walk in a season-high tying 5.0 innings.

Former Islander and junior Sebastian Mejia followed by striking out a career-high tying five in 3.0 scoreless innings.

The Vaqueros added a run in the eighth on a two-out single by Sanchez.

In the ninth, the Vaqueros plated two more runs on a Pimentel fielder’s choice and a wild pitch that scored freshman Sharyland Pioneer alum Juan Rivera.

The Islanders completed the scoring with a Max Puls home runs in the ninth.

UTRGV visits Utah Valley for a 3-game series starting Friday at 7 p.m. Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

UTRGV graduate student first baseman and left fielder Brandon Pimentel was named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Hitter of the Week on Monday after a dominant performance at the plate for the Vaqueros.

Pimentel is the second Vaquero to earn National Player of the Week this season, as junior pitcher Angelo Cabral was named D1Baseball National Pitcher of the Week on February 27.

Pimentel hit .438/500/1.063 while leading the Vaqueros to a 2-1 week, going 7-for-16 with three home runs, one double, one walk, 11 RBI and six runs scored. Pimentel has now homered in five-straight games, the first Vaquero to do so since Freddy Rojas Jr. (’22) homered in six-straight games in March 2021 en route to back-to-back Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week awards.

Pimentel opened the week with a grand slam off the scoreboard in a 20-2 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday to help UTRGV clinch the South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, Championship.

In game one of Saturday’s doubleheader against Houston Christian, Pimentel hit a 2-run home run while going a season-best 4-for-5 with a double, a season-high tying four RBI and a season-high tying three runs scored in a 16-5 win.

In game two, Pimentel hit a 3-run home run as part of a 2-hit game.

For the season, Pimentel is hitting .361, which ranks 12th in the WAC and 183rd in the NCAA, and slugging .630, which ranks seventh in the WAC and 207th in the NCAA.

UTRGV is back in action at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on ESPN+.

The UTRGV baseball team rolled over the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders 20-2 on Tuesday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.

The Vaqueros (16-12) are now winners of four in a row.

The Vaqueros scored all their runs in four separate innings, including six in the first, three in the fourth, seven in the fifth and four in the sixth. The first inning was capped by a grand slam by sophomore Steven Lancia, and the fifth was capped by a grand slam by graduate student Brandon Pimentel. The Vaqueros finished with three home runs, as sophomore and Edinburg Vela alumnus Isaac Lopez hit a two-run home run to end the fourth.

In the first, graduate student Montclair Cain started the scoring with a two-run double against Nash Villegas (0-1) before Lancia hit his first-career grand slam, his third home run of the season, to put the Vaqueros up 6-0.

In the fourth, Angel De La Cruz led off with a pinch-hit double. Two outs later, senior Zerek Saenz hit an RBI single and Lopez belted a two-run home run, his sixth, to make the score 9-0.

In the fifth, De La Cruz and Lancia hit RBI singles, Saenz drew a bases-loaded walk and Pimentel belted his grand slam off the scoreboard. Pimentel now has six home runs, including home runs in three straight games.

In the sixth, the Vaqueros scored runs on a bases-loaded walk by freshman and Sharyland Pioneer alumnus Juan Rivera, a wild pitch, and a Lopez two-run single.

Lancia went 2-for-3 with a career-high five RBIs and a career-high tying two runs scored. Lopez finished 2-for-4 with a career-high tying four RBIs and one run scored. Pimentel also drove in four runs, scored twice and went 1-for-4. De La Cruz went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Senior Roberto Gonzalez finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

UTRGV pitcher Kris Massey (1-0) was nearly unhittable in his first career start, pitching a career-high five innings and striking out a career-high six while allowing just one hit and two walks. Massey retired the first eight batters he faced before allowing a walk. He issued another walk with one out in the third before inducing a double play. The lone hit was a single with two outs in the fifth.

The Islanders (13-17) scored their runs with two outs in the seventh on a single by Leo Markotic.

UTRGV is scheduled to play Houston Christian for three games away from home this weekend.

The UTRGV baseball team scored multiple runs in five different innings to beat the Tarleton Texans 15-5 in seven innings on Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.

Senior Roberto Gonzalez led the Vaqueros (13-12, 4-6 WAC) offensively by going 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple, a walk, a career-high four RBI and a career-high tying three runs scored. Graduate student Brandon Pimentel finished a season-high tying 3-for-5 with an RBI and a season-high three runs scored. Junior PSJA alum Jacob Sanchez went a career-high tying 3-for-4 with a career-high two doubles, two RBI and a career-high tying three runs scored. Sophomore Steven Lancia went 2-for-2 with two walks, a career-high tying three RBI, one run scored and one stolen base.

The Vaqueros took advantage of back-to-back errors to start the first, as with runners on the corners and nobody out, Pimentel hit into a fielder’s choice to bring home senior Zerek Saenz and Gonzalez hit an RBI-triple off Hunter Day (2-1) to make the score 2-0.

Pimentel led off the third with an infield single before moving to second on an error. Gonzalez followed with an RBI-single. After graduate student Montclair Cain walked and a sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third, junior Adrian Torres grounded out to bring home Gonzalez and Lancia hit an RBI-single to make the score 5-0.

The Texans (14-9, 1-4 WAC) got one back in the fourth on an RBI-single by Trace Morrison.

The Vaqueros scored four runs in the fourth on a two-run home run by Gonzalez, his second of the season, and a two-run single by Lancia to make the score 9-1.

The Texans scored three runs in the fifth on an errors and RBI-singles by Morrison and Cole Miears to pull within 9-4.

The Vaqueros got those runs back in the sixth on a wild pitch and a two-run double by Saenz to make the score 12-4.

Senior Alex Verdugo (3-0) retired the first four batters he faced in relief. In the seventh, though, the Texans put runners on the corners with two outs ahead of an RBI-double by Miears to make the score 12-5.

The Vaqueros put the first two runners aboard in the seventh. After a groundout put the runners in scoring position, Sanchez hit a two-run double and then Torres hit a walk-off double.

UTRGV and Tarleton play the middle game of this three-game series on Selena Night Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. Fans dressed like or wearing Selena attire will get discounted tickets. There will also be a No. 1 Selena fan outfit contest. Fans will have the opportunity to win an “Anything for Selena” bracelet through baseball bingo.

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 5:30 p.m.

Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

The UTRGV baseball team lost 6-5 against the Texas State Bobcats in a nonconference game Wednesday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.

Down 6-0 after two innings, the Vaqueros (12-12) started chipping away in the fourth inning by loading the bases with two outs ahead of an RBI groundout by senior Zerek Saenz.

During the fifth, Montclair Cain hit a two-out double, setting up an RBI-single by junior PSJA High alumnus Jacob Sanchez to make the score 6-2.

The Vaqueros put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh. A throwing error brought home graduate student Brandon Pimentel from third to make the score 6-3.

During the eighth, the Vaqueros put runners at first and second with one out. A wild pitched allowed PSJA North alum Damian Rodriguez to score from second and junior Kade York to go first to third. York scored on a Saenz groundout to make the score 6-5.

Pimentel led off the ninth with a double, but Jack Stroud retired the next three hitters for his first save.

The bullpen is a big reason why the Vaqueros had the opportunity to rally, as five relievers combined to pitch six hitless innings, striking out nine.

Kris Massey pitched a career-high three innings of hitless relief, striking out a career-high four.

Junior Zach Tjelmeland struck out the side during a hitless seventh.

Junior Sebastian Mejia pitched a perfect eighth.

Junior and Edinburg Vela alum Nico Rodriguez struck out one in 2/3 of an inning, and senior Alex Verdugo recorded the final out of the ninth via strikeout.

Senior J.C. Ariza (1-3) pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, aided by a diving catch by York in foul territory for the first out of the game.

During the second, however the Bobcats (17-8) loaded the bases with two outs, setting up RBI singles by Ryder Hernandez and Ben McClain, and a grand slam by Davis Powell to make the score 6-0.

Tony Robie (3-0) struck out four in three scoreless innings for the win.

UTRGV hosts Tarleton for a three-game series starting 6:30 p.m. Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.

Tickets are on sale now at UTRGVTickets.com. Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

Tuesday’s scheduled non-conference baseball game between The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and Texas State has been postponed until Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium due to inclement weather.

Fans with tickets to Tuesday’s game can use them on Wednesday or exchange them at the box office for one of UTRGV’s 11 other remaining home games. A complete schedule can be found at GoUTRGV.com.

Wednesday’s makeup game will feature the same promotions that would have been available on $2 Tuesday, with general admission tickets and select concession items available for $2 or less.

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 5:30 p.m.

Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

Junior PSJA High alumnus Jacob Sanchez hit a pair of 3-run home runs to propel the UTRGV baseball team to a 12-6 victory over the New Mexico State Aggies on Sunday at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Sanchez finished the series with three home runs, with Sunday marking his first-career multi-home run game. Sanchez went 2-for-5 with a career-high six RBI and a season-high tying two runs scored. The is the first time a Vaquero has had multiple 3-run home runs since Feb. 20, 2022, when Brandon Pimentel, now a graduate student, launched a pair and drove-in six against George Washington. This is the program’s fourth six-RBI game since 2008 along with Vinnie Mejia on March 5, 2010 against Louisiana Tech and Jordan Rutenbar against Northern Colorado on May 3, 2008.

Sanchez’s first home run capped a 5-run second inning and was the first of two multi-home run innings for the Vaqueros (12-11, 3-6 WAC). Senior Roberto Gonzalez led off the inning with a solo home run off Darius Garcia (2-1). The next two batters reached, leading to junior Adrian Torres laying down a bunt. The throw to first went wide, allowing graduate student Montclair Cain to score. Sanchez followed with his first home run to make the score 5-2.

In the fifth, Pimentel launched his third home run of the season, a no doubt shot to center. Two outs later, the Vaqueros used back-to-back singles to bring Sanchez back to the plate for his second home run of the game to make the score 9-2.

Torres scored on both of Sanchez’s home runs while finishing 2-for-3 with two walks. Gonzalez and junior Kade York also had multiple hits, with each going 2-for-5.

Sophomore Vela alum Isaac Lopez hit the Vaqueros’ fifth home run of the game, a solo shot in the sixth, to make the score 10-3.

York hit an RBI-single in the seventh to make the score 11-3.

Sophomore Steven Lancia added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make the score 12-3.

Senior Colten Davis (3-2) opened the game by striking out the first two Aggies (4-17, 2-7 WAC) he faced. After a walk, though, Christian Perez hit a two-run home run.

That was it until the fifth, when Nick Gore hit a one-out RBI single to make the score 9-3.

Davis pitched 6.2 innings, striking out a career-high tying nine while scattering eight hits and two walks.

The Aggies added three in the ninth on a Mitch Namie single and a 2-run home run by Kevin Jimenez.

UTRGV hosts Texas State, a team receiving votes in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, on $2 Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg. General admission tickets and select concession items are available for $2 or less. Tickets are on sale now at UTRGVTickets.com. Current UTRGV students receive free general admission with their student ID.

Fans unable to attend in person can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.

The UTRGV baseball team defeated the New Mexico State Aggies 8-4 in the middle game of a three-game series on Saturday at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The Vaqueros (11-11, 2-6 WAC) used a pair of two-out RBI-singles to take an early 2-0 lead against Pablo Cortes (1-2), with junior Kade York coming through in the second and graduate student Montclair Cain following suit in the third.

Junior Angelo Cabral (4-0) retired six of the first seven batters he faced. With one out in the third, though, Preston Godfrey homered to bring the Aggies (4-16, 2-6 WAC) within 2-1.

The Vaqueros got that run back in the fourth. Junior Adrian Torres drew a four-pitch, leadoff walk. A bad pickoff throw allowed Torres to move to third, from where he scored on a groundout by senior Edinburg Vela alumnus RJ Ochoa to make the score 3-1.

Nick Gore homered in the fifth to bring the Aggies within a run before junior PSJA High alumnus Jacob Sanchez answered with a home run of his own in the sixth to put the Vaqueros up 4-2.

Cabral pitched a career-high 6.2 innings, striking out four while allowing four hits and two walks.

The last batter Cabral faced, Keith Jones II, doubled. Nick Gore welcomed senior Alex Verdugo with an RBI-double to make the score 4-3. Verdugo responded by retiring the next six hitters he faced, striking out four, while pitching 2.1 innings for his first-career save.

The Vaqueros added four insurance runs in the ninth when Ochoa hit an RBI-double, senior Zerek Saenz and junior Erick Martinez hit RBI-singles, and Sanchez drew a bases-loaded walk.

York finished 2-for-3 with an RBI while senior Roberto Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

The Aggies completed the scoring in the ninth on a two-out RBI-single by Jones.

UTRGV and New Mexico State complete their three-game series at 1 p.m. Sunday.