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NACOGDOCHES – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team fell to the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 5-3 on Saturday at Pilgrim’s Park.
Junior Rocco Garza Gongora led the Vaqueros (14-20, 9-11 SLC) offensively by going 3-for-5 with a career-high two doubles, his first triple of the season, and a run scored. Junior Armani Raygoza went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Junior Easton Moomau finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Graduate student PSJA alum Diego Villescas also went 2-for-4. Senior Thomas Williams finished 2-for-5.
The Vaqueros got off to a fast start against Gabe LeBlanc (2-1), as Garza Gongora led off the game with a double and scored on a one-out single by Raygoza. After junior PSJA alum Julius Ramirez doubled, Moomau grounded out to score Raygoza and put the Vaqueros up 2-0.
Sophomore Harrison Thayer (4-2) got off to a strong start, retiring nine of the first 12 batters he faced. In the fourth, though, the Lumberjacks (20-16, 11-6 SLC) put two on with one out, setting up an RBI-single by Josh Ibe. Then, with the bases loaded and two outs, Thayer plunked Coby DeJesus to bring in a run, tying the game at 2. Jhett Creel greeted senior Anthony Garcia (1-0) with a two-run single to put the ‘Jacks up 4-2.
Thayer struck out five in 3.2 innings.
Raygoza led off the sixth with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Ramirez followed with a sacrifice fly to bring the Vaqueros within 4-3.
The ‘Jacks got that run back in the bottom of the inning when, with the bases loaded and one out, Julian Swift hit into an RBI-fielder’s choice to make the score 5-3.
Junior La Joya alum JC Gutierrez pitched 2.0 hitless innings of relief, striking out two.
UTRGV and SFA close out the series Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
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