Texas-Pan American escapes with 5-4 win over UTSA

May 16, 2006
Contact: Carlos Valdez III.

Texas-Pan American escapes with 5-4 win over UTSA

Box Score

EDINBURG, Texas – The UTSA Baseball team dropped a 5-4 decision to Texas-Pan American in non-conference action Tuesday evening at Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

UTSA dipped to 35-17 on the year and had its four-game winning snapped, while UTPA end the season with a 24-29 mark.

Freshman Michael Rockett (pictured) slugged his fifth home run of the season and drove in two of UTSA’s four runs. Senior Lee Todesco and junior Michael McKennon collected two hits apiece.

Kelly Casares improved his record to 1-1 on the year. He gave up two runs over four innings, scattered three hits and fanned five batters. Tim Haines collected his 10th save of the season. Haines tossed one and two-third of shutout ball and recorded four strike outs.

Sophomore Mark Ruffin suffered his second loss of the season and dropped to 3-2. He went two and two-third innings, allowed three runs on two hits and punched out two batters.

Rockett put UTSA on the board first with a solo blast over the left field wall to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

UTPA took its first lead of the game with three runs in the bottom half of the third. Lyndon Bartosh smacked a two-out RBI single to right field to score leadoff hitter T.J. Gilmer, who reached base on a single. Otis Powers plated two runs with a double that got over the left fielder’s head to give the Broncs a 3-1 edge.

The Runners cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth inning. Junior Michael McKennon ripped a one-out single to right field, moved to third when Senior Lee Todesco singled to left field and came home on a passed ball.

UTPA upped its lead to 5-2 on a two-run homer by Osiel Flores in the bottom of the fourth.

UTSA made things interesting in the sixth inning. Senior J.R. Voyles led off with a walk and back-to-back singles by McKennon and Todesco loaded the bases for the Roadrunners. With one out, Rockett collected his second RBI of the day by drawing a walk. Junior Ryan Saltzgaber’s sacrifice fly trimmed the lead to 5-4, but UTPA got out of the frame with a strikeout.

In the top of the eighth, the Roadrunners got men on first and third with one out when UTPA brought in Tim Haines from the bullpen. After a stolen base made it second and third with one out, Haines struck out the next two batters to preserve the lead.

UTSA meets Texas State in a pivotal Southland Conference series this Thursday-Saturday, May 18-20. Game one is set for 3 p.m. Thursday at Roadrunner, while games two and three are in San Marcos.