Feb. 3, 2006
The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team (2-0) pulled out a late inning, 2-1, victory over the Northern Colorado Bears (0-1) on Friday (Feb. 3) night at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.
Quality pitching was the theme of the night for both teams as both starters allowed just one run. Bronc southpaw Ricky Ibarz (Caracas, Venezuela/New Mexico J.C.) went five innings in his debut, striking out 10 and walking four while allowing just two hits and one unearned run.
Ibarz was matched by UNC's Chris Johns who went seven innings, allowing just one earned run while scattering six hits on the night. The Broncs got their lone run off Johns in the first inning when Louie Alamia (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North H.S.) led things off with a double to right-center field. Two batters later, Blake Whittlesey (Marble Falls, TX/UT-Brownsville) drove Alamia in with a single.
In the bottom of the ninth, Bears reliever Eric Maydew hit Chris Lozano (El Paso, TX/Phoenix J.C.) with an inside fastball, setting the Broncs up with the winning run on first base. Freshman catcher Nick Spears (Austin, TX/Bowie H.S.) dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Lozano in to scoring position. Leighton Autrey (Stephenville, TX/Navarro J.C.) then drove a single over the shortstop's head, easily scoring Lozano from second to give the Broncs the 2-1 victory.
Kelly Casares (Missouri City, TX/McLennan J.C.) and Tim Haines (Mission, TX/Blinn College) combined to throw four hitless innings in relief for UTPA. Haines struck out the side twice in his two innings of work to pick up the win, moving his record to 1-0 for the season.
The Broncs hitters finished the night with multiple hits, with Alamia, Whittlesey and Autrey all collecting two hits.
Friday's win marks the first time the Broncs have won their first two games of the season under head coach Willie Gawlik.
The UTPA Baseball Classic continues on Saturday (Feb. 4) as the Broncs return to the field at 7:00 p.m. to take on the Oklahoma Sooners.
UTPA Sports Information
