UTB-TSC Capsules: Martinez leads RRAC Tournament
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- April Martinez is on her way to finishing her collegiate golf career the same way she started it.
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College senior golfer shot a school-record 71, a 1-under par mark that leads the medalist race by six shots at the Red River Athletic Conference/Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament after Monday's round at the Lincoln Park Golf Course.
The second 18 holes of the two-day tournament is scheduled Tuesday.
If Martinez can hold her lead in Tuesday's second round, she will qualify for the NAIA National Tournament in Rapid City, S.D. May 12-15. As a freshman, she qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament.
"I've been practicing really hard for 2-3 hours a day," Martinez said. "It shows that hard work really does pay off sometimes."
Martinez leads Northwood University's Meghann Stevens by six shots and Park University's Plerm Prombboobpa by seven strokes.
She had one eagle, three birdies, 11 pars, two bogeys and one double-bogey in the round.
"I wasn't having an awesome day," Martinez said. "It was not the best round of my life. I made a few errors."
The eagle came on the No. 5 hole, a par-5, 440-yarder. Her tee shot landed under a tree about 200 yards from the pin. She pushed her shot past the tree and on the green 13 feet from the flag. She putted in from there for the eagle.
"It just barely dribbled in on the last rotation," Martinez said . "It was one of my best putts of the day."
The fairway shot was not even her best one of the day. On the No. 6 hole, a par-4, 385-yarder, she hit her second shot only two feet from the pin, and made an easy birdie.
Martinez shot 38 on the front nine and 33 on the back nine.
She knows that she will have to keep the same focus and concentration Tuesday. She will be paired up with the Stevens and Prombboobpa, the top players from Northwood and Park, so she will know exactly how she needs to play to win the tournament.
"Hopefully, some of those putts can fall in tomorrow, too," she said.
Martinez was not the only Scorpions golfer with an eagle. Senior teammate Allison Valles also had an eagle but she finished with a 91 score. Andrea Cadriel and Krystal Garza had 93s, and Pamela Lopez's 117 did not count toward the team score.
Northwood leads the team totals with a 326, followed by Park at 342 and UTB-TSC at 348. Peru State College, the fourth team in the field, had a 523.
The champion team will receive an automatic qualification to the national tournament. The low medalist, if not from the winning team, also will qualify.
The Sooner Athletic Conference tournament is being held together with the RRAC/MCAC Tournament, but is scored independently.
BASEBALL
Ortiz named Red River Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week
Scorpions freshman pitcher Dennis Ortiz has been named Red River Athletic Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 13-19.
R.J. Harris of Northwood University and Gabe Hensley of Southwestern Assemblies of God University earned recognition as RRAC Baseball Co-Players of the Week.
Ortiz, a freshman pitcher from Porter, tacked on seven scoreless innings against Texas A&M International on April 14 to a stretch in which he has allowed one earned run in 19 innings. He scattered four hits while striking out three and walking four to earn the 6-0 victory.
On March 31 at TAMIU, he pitched six scoreless innings and was the winning pitcher in a 10-0 win. On April 8 at the University of Texas-Pan American, he allowed one run through six innings and left the game with the score tied 1-1. UTPA went on to win, 15-2. His record is now 3-0 and earned run average is 2.70.
Ortiz is the fourth Scorpions pitcher to receive player of the week honors. Junior Julian Moya has received the award four times, and sophomore Danny Gidora and freshman Jacob Venegas have received the award once each. Outfielders Matt Warner and Jacob Yousif have received the player of the week honors once each.
