UTB-TSC News: Scorpions split twinbill with Jaguars again
A wild afternoon that featured a seven-run rally that fell short by one run and a thunderstorm that ended the day highlighted a doubleheader split between the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College and The University of Houston-Victoria on Saturday at Scorpion Field.
UHV won the opener 9-8, surviving a wild rally by the Scorpions, who won the second game 6-2 behind a strong pitching performance by Adam Vera. The second game was scheduled for nine innings but called with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning because of thunderstorms that rolled through Brownsville at about 4:30 p.m.
UTB-TSC, which won three of four games from Doane College (Neb.) from Jan. 23 through 25, split the series with UHV, 2-2. On Friday, the Scorpions won the opener 9-0 but lost the nightcap 7-4.
The Scorpions are now 5-3 for the season. UHV was playing its first games of the year and is 2-2.
"On Friday, Rory (Young) pitched great and the offense showed up," Scorpion head coach Bryan Aughney said. "In the second game, Marcos did a great job to start the game, but the bullpen did not do a good job. In the first game today, our offense got started really late. We can't sit around and wait for things to happen. In the second game, Adam pitched well and we hit well. We're not cashing in enough runners in scoring position. We've got to get better in pressure situations."
UTB-TSC begins Red River Athletic Conference play Feb. 10 and 11 at Scorpion Field with a three-game series against Southwestern Assemblies of God University. It will be the last three games of a stretch of 11 straight home games to start the 2012 season for the Scorpions.
Game 1: Jaguars 9, Scorpions 8
UHV jumped on Scorpions starting pitcher Zach Armstrong for seven runs in the first two-plus innings, and led 9-1 after five innings. The Scorpions then mounted a rally from nowhere, scoring seven unearned runs, six after two outs were made in the inning. Zach Cordia's two-run double cut the margin to 9-8 before UHV changed pitchers and squelched the threat.
Armstrong allowed six earned runs. Three other pitchers -- Mitch Schaafsma, Nick Wheeler and Gilbert Hinojosa -- went the rest of the way.
The Scorpions had eight hits, three by Matt Ginn, who also scored twice. Joel Fernandez had two hits and Cordia and Robert Mariscal each drove in two runs.
Game 2: Scorpions 6, Jaguars 2
Adam Vera (2-0) had his second straight solid outing, limiting UHV to one run over six innings. He scattered six hits, struck out four and walked one.
After throwing only 79 pitches in his first season victory Jan. 26, including 55 strikes, Vera economized again Saturday. He threw only 68 pitches, 49 strikes and 19 balls. Baylr Bickerton pitched the seventh inning and allowed one run.
The game was stopped with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning because of lightning, and a thunderstorm soon followed that left Scorpion field flooded in some areas. Scorpions players pulled the tarp out to cover the field.
Scott Frazier and Peter Maldonado each had two hits, with Frazier and Kyle Douglass driving in two runs each. Frazier also scored twice.
