UTB-TSC Capsules: Scorpions drop first game in opening round
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College could never get untracked in a 9-2 loss to Doane College (Neb.) in the first game of the Oklahoma City Bracket in the openeing round of the NAIA national championships Thursday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The loss drops the fourth-seeded Scorpions (35-25) to an elimination game in the five-team tournament at 11 a.m. Friday against second-seeded Fresno Pacific University (30-20), which lost 10-9 in 10 innings to third-seeded Belhaven University (44-16).
Doane (37-17) advances to play top-seeded Oklahoma City University at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The Tigers outplayed the Scorpions throughout, scattering 14 hits compared to seven for the Scorpions. DC left 10 runners on base, including five during the first two innings.
Doane led 5-0 after three innings before the UTB-TSC tallied its first run in the fourth to make it 5-1. The Tigers added two more runs in the sixth to make it 7-1 before the Scorpions scored their second run in the eighth. Doane's final two runs came in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Chris Raley started for the Scorpions and was pulled after two innings, giving up two earned runs and four hits. He struck out one and walked three.
Freshman Baylr Bickerton relieved Raley. After giving up one earned run out of 3 1/3 innings, he settled down and retired seven straight Tigers at one point. Doane then scored four runs in the sixth and eighth innings before Bickerton was relieved in the eighth inning by Luis Sanchez.
In 5 2/3 innings, Bickerton allowed five earned runs and 10 hits. He did not strike out a batter and walked three. Sanchez faced only one batter and retired him.
Walks to Gus Henggeler and Nick Loftis, a sacrifice bunt by Jorge Camorlinga, and a run-scoring single by Peter Maldonado produced the first Scorpions run during the fifth inning to make the score 5-1.
In the eighth, Peter Maldonado walked, stole second, went to third on a Matt Warner single, and scored on an infield groundout by Matt Ginn.
The seven Scorpions hits were spread around seven hitters. No player had two or more hits, runs scored or runs driven in.
The opening round winner advances to the Avista-NAIA World Series later this month in Lewiston, Idaho.
Scorpions meet familiar foe in national tourney
OKLAHOMA CITY -- It will be a familiar situation on two fronts when the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College meets Fresno Pacific at 11 a.m. Friday in an elimination game in the Oklahoma City Bracket in the opening round of the NAIA national championships at Jim Wade Stadium.
For the Scorpions' baseball team, it's the same situation they were in one year ago. UTB-TSC lost its first game but came back to win the second.
UTB-TSC (35-25) will start its ace pitcher, Danny Gidora (12-2), to try to extend the Scorpions' season against FPU (30-20).
The Scorpions have never faced Fresno Pacific in baseball. The two teams have met three times in the last four years in volleyball. FPU ended the UTB-TSC volleyball season in the quarterfinals in 2007 and 2009. In the national semifinals in 2010, FPU knocked off UTB-TSC en route to the national championship.
The winner of the game advances to a 6 p.m. game against Doane College (Neb.), which lost to Oklahoma City University 10-5 on Thursday.
NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Jim Wade Stadium
Thursday, May 12
Game 1: Doane (Neb.) 9, UTB-TSC 2
Game 2: Belhaven (Miss.) 10, Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 9, 10 innings
Game 3: Oklahoma City 10, Doane 5
Friday, May 13
Game 4: Fresno Pacific vs. UTB-TSC, 11 a.m.
Game 5: Belhaven vs. Oklahoma City, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Doane, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 14
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 2:30 p.m., championship
Monday, May 16
Game 9: If necessary, noon
Women's Soccer
Regalado signs conference LOI for women's soccer
Sarah Regalado, who is was recently named the Valley Freedom Newspapers' girls' soccer player of the year, has signed a Red River Athletic Conference letter of intent to join the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College women's soccer team.
Regalado is one of the last recruits for coach Nik Barjaktarevic's 2011 team. She has been a three-time all-district first-team selection and district most valuable player as a defender and midfielder.
"I have no doubt that Sarah Regalado is one of the best female players in the Valley, and I'm glad that she chose UTB-TSC and will play for the Scorpions," Barjaktarevic said. "Her accolades speak for themselves, but what I'm mostly happy about is that we are getting a great person as well, someone that will be a leader both on campus and on the soccer team. She is a very versatile player who can play both as an outside midfielder and central defender, and we will use the fall to see where she will be most dangerous for our team."
Regalado also has been named to the All-Valley team twice and was a member of the McHi team that advanced to the regional tournament twice. She was also a regional qualifier in three events in track.
"I want to continue playing and commit to the sport that I love," Regalado said. "I would like to be a part of a good soccer program that isn't far from home."
