UTB-TSC Capsules: Scorpions begin play at RRAC Tournament on Saturday
SHREVEPORT, La. - After a regular season of 54 games, the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College hopes to be playing several more at the Red River Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, which gets under way Saturday at Pilots Field at Louisiana State University-Shreveport.
The Scorpions (32-22) are the No. 4 seed in the tournament. They face No. 3 seed Texas Wesleyan (31-21).
During the tournament's first game Saturday, second-seeded Northwood (35-14) meets fifth-seeded Wiley College (20-19) at 11:30 a.m. In the final game of the day, LSU-S (38-13), the top seed in the tournament, will face No. 6 seed Texas College (27-25) at 6 p.m.
The double-elimination tournament continues with three games Sunday, with one or possibly two teams getting eliminated.
Texas Wesleyan won the 2010 tournament on its home field in Fort Worth. UTB-TSC finished second and forced a deciding second championship game.
The top two teams in the tournament earn a berth in the opening round of the NAIA national championships, which will have a 45-team field in nine sites around the country May 12 through 16.
UTB-TSC qualified for the opening round in 2010 for the first time in school history.
Northwood finished fourth in last year's tournament. LSUS was participating in the Gulf States Athletic Conference and joined the RRAC this season. LSUS is ranked No. 9 in the NAIA coaches top 25 poll, and Northwood is ranked No. 17.
UTB-TSC was swept by Northwood at Scorpion Field and lost two of three games to LSUS. UTB-TSC won two of three games against Texas Wesleyan on Feb. 18 and 19.
Danny Gidora (10-2), who has posted some of the best pitching statistics in the NAIA this year, is expected to start against TWU on Saturday. He registered five complete-game shutouts this year, including a 2-0 win over TWU.
Felix Fanaselle leads the team in batting with a .405 average. Jorge Camorlinga is second nationally in stolen bases with 40.
If UTB-TSC wins Saturday, the Scorpions will face the winner of the Northwood-Texas College game at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. If UTB-TSC loses Saturday, the Scorpions face the winner of the LSUS-Texas College game at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Gidora named Red River Athletic Conference pitcher of year
University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College senior pitcher Danny Gidora was named Red River Athletic Conference pitcher of the y6ear during the RRAC tournament banquet Friday on the campus of Louisiana State University-Shreveport.
The banquet is the traditional gathering of teams participating in the conference tournament.
The award to Gidora was not a surprise, as his pitching numbers in the RRAC were much more impressive than anyone else.
Gidora's record is 10 wins and two losses, and he now holds the Scorpions' team record for most wins in one season. The 10 wins also is tied for fifth highest nationally. His earned run average is 1.58, which is 21st nationally.
Gidora was also named to the 17-member RRAC all-conference first team, which included five pitchers.
Scorpions senior outfielder Jorge Camorlinga was also named to the all-conference first team for the first time in his career after two second-team selections. Camorlinga is second in the nation in stolen bases with 40, and is only one behind the national leader going into the weekend.
Senior shortstop Felix Fanaselle, who leads the Scorpions in hitting with a .405 average, was named to the all-conference second team.
Junior outfielder Peter Maldonado, who had 95 putouts and three assists while playing error-less baseball in 98 chances, was the only Scorpions player named to the RRAC gold glove team.
