EDINBURG — The UTRGV Vaqueros are set to return home to UTRGV Baseball Stadium this weekend following a seven-game road swing and are inviting some furry friends to the ballpark to check out the action.
UTRGV hosts Abilene Christian for a three-game Western Athletic Conference series beginning at 6:30 p.m. tonight.
Game 2 of the series, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg, is dubbed “Bark in the Park”, which invites fans to bring their dogs to catch the Vaqueros live. The first 200 dogs in attendance will receive a UTRGV bandana. More information regarding UTRGV baseball’s “Bark in the Park” event can be found below.
Tickets can be purchased at UTRGVTickets.com.
FIVE DOWN, FIVE TO GO
The Vaqueros (20-15, 7-8 WAC) are at the midway point of conference play with five series down and five to go. UTRGV, which is tied for seventh in the WAC standings with Seattle at 7-8, has conference matchups remaining against third-place Abilene Christian, fourth-place Texas Arlington, 10th-place Sacramento State, second-place Grand Canyon and fifth-place Stephen F. Austin.
UTRGV has built some momentum recently as winners of eight of its past 11 contests, including a back-and-forth 15-12 victory against Incarnate Word on Tuesday in San Antonio.
The Vaqueros will look to stay hot against Abilene Christian (24-12, 9-6) this weekend.
While the Vaqueros have turned up the heat recently, UTRGV first baseman Brandon Pimentel has been on fire.
Pimentel, who was named to the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award watch list in the preseason, is riding a 13-game hitting streak with a .448 batting average, eight home runs, 25 RBIs and 19 runs scored during that span. He earned national player of the week and WAC hitter of the week honors April 10.
Last season, the El Paso native hit .377 and finished with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs in 58 games, all team highs for the Vaqueros.
This year, Pimentel leads UTRGV in batting average at .369, home runs with 10, RBIs with 38 and on-base percentage at .472. He also ranks third on the team in hits with 48 and fourth in runs scored with 27.
Pimentel’s 10th home run of the year came last Sunday against Utah Valley and made him the first player in program history to have multiple 10-plus home run seasons.
His 22 career home runs as a Vaqueros player ranks second all-time and puts him only behind UTRGV Hall of Famer Mitchell Moran (1981-83), who hit 27 home runs.
BARK IN THE PARK
Rules for Saturday’s game include the following, according to a UTRGV news release.
Fans can bring their dogs to the game. Dogs get in free. Dog owners must purchase tickets. The first 200 dogs in attendance will receive UTRGV bandanas.
Yaqui Animal Rescue and Canines in Action Academy, LLC, will offer information and programming during the game.
After purchasing tickets, owners should check in with their dogs at the far-left gate at the front of UTRGV Baseball Stadium. Owners then will be asked to complete an attendance waiver. Dogs only will be allowed inside the park with a completed waiver, which includes proof of up-to-date vaccinations. A maximum of one dog per person is permitted.
The left field side of the stadium will be dedicated for dogs and their owners. Dogs must always remain on leash.
Owners are permitted to bring water bowls for their dogs, but dog food is prohibited. Water will be served community style in the dog play area.
Owners must clean up after their dogs. Poop bags will be provided upon arrival to the stadium and will be available inside the stadium. All full poop bags should be thrown in a trash can. Violators of these rules will be asked to leave the UTRGV Baseball Stadium immediately.