UTB-TSC Capsules: Scorpions' Martinez wins RRAC Tournament
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - April Martinez is going back to a national tournament.
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College senior, who qualified for the 2006 NJCAA National Tournament as a freshman, won the Red River Athletic Conference/Midlands Collegiate Athletics Conference Women's Golf Tournament on Tuesday at Lincoln Park Golf Course by three shots.
Martinez qualified for the NAIA National Tournament from May 12 to 15 in Rapid City, S.D.
"I'm really happy that I settled down today and get back to nationals," Martinez said. "It's an incredible feeling to go nationals twice in my collegiate career."
Scorpions coach Bob Lucio was ecstatic.
"I'm really happy that we have a national qualifier on our squad," Lucio said. "She went through some hills and valleys but settled down. It was nerve-wracking but fun to watch."
Martinez broke her own school record with a 71 during Monday's opening round and had a six-shot lead after the first day. But that lead vanished after the first seven holes when Martinez had three double-bogeys and Northwood's Meghann Stevens had two birdies on the same span.
"It was terrible because I wasn't hitting my shots," Martinez said. "I kept thinking that this was my senior year, and I need to play better than this."
With the rocky start, Martinez found herself down by two shots after the first seven holes. For the final nine holes, assistant coach Jones Mitchell decided to walk with Martinez to settle her nerves.
"I give a lot of credit to Jones because he settled me down," Martinez said. "I did not want this to be my last tournament in college and end this way."
Martinez clawed back and tied Stevens with six holes remaining. They remained tied with two holes to play.
The Scorpions senior birdied the second-to-last hole and Stevens double-bogeyed it, giving Martinez a three-shot lead with one hole remaining. She finished with an 80 on Tuesday for a two-day total of 151.
Northwood won the team title with a two-day 657 and qualifies for the national tournament.
UTB-TSC shot 684. On Tuesday, Andrea Cadriel shot an 83, Allison Valles 85 and Krystal Garza 90. Pamela Lopez shot a 110 that did not count to the team total.
UTB-TSC to face UTPA on Wednesday
For the second time within two weeks, the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College will meet The University of Texas-Pan American on Wednesday at Edinburg Baseball Stadium in a battle between the Valley's college baseball programs.
In their first meeting this season, the Broncs Broncs (9-33, NCAA Division I) scored 14 runs in the seventh and eighth innings en route to a 15-2 victory over the Scorpions (26-26, 9-3, Red River Athletic Conference, NAIA). The score was tied 1-1 after six innings.
Tony Lerma (3-5) is expected to start on the mound for the Scorpions on Wednesday at UTPA.
Following Wednesday's game, UTB-TSC has two regular-season games remaining and will play host to the University of Houston-Victoria in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Sunday at Scorpion Field. The Scorpions have clinched a berth in the RRAC Tournament from May 1 to 4 in Grand Prairie.
