March 7, 2020 – RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team scored seven runs in the first inning en route to a 19-0 victory over the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
Senior Christian Sepulveda led the Vaqueros (8-7) by going a career-best 4-for-5 with a double, a career-high tying four RBI and a career-high tying three runs scored. Senior Coleman Grubbs went 3-for-4 with a career-high two doubles, two walks, three RBI and a season-high tying three runs scored. Graduate student Andy Atwood finished 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk and a career-high three runs scored.
The Vaqueros started the first with back-to-back walks against Grant Vurpillat (0-1). Atwood laid down a perfect bunt on the left side to load the bases. Senior Conrado Diaz was plunked to force-in a run. Sepulveda followed with an RBI-single. One out later, senior Elijah Alexander was plunked to force-in a run and then junior Adrian Pena walked to force-in another run and knock out Vurpillat. Junior Darian Luper came up next and hit a ground ball to short that was bobbled by David Mercado as a run came in. Grubbs, the 10th batter, capped the inning with a two-run double.
The Vaqueros added a run in the second on a Diaz groundout and one in the third on a Grubbs single.
The Vaqueros scored five runs in the fifth on a two-run single by Diaz, a two-run double by Sepulveda and a single by Alexander.
The Vaqueros scored five more runs in the sixth on singles by freshman PSJA alum Trey Guajardo, Sepulveda and sophomore Vela alum Aaron Galvan, a balk, and a Pena sacrifice fly.
That was more than enough run support for graduate student Max Balderrama Jr. (1-0), who in his first-career start, pitched a complete game shutout, going a career-high seven innings, striking out a career-high 10 while allowing four hits and one walk.
UTRGV and NJIT (6-7) play game two at approximately 3:15 p.m.
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