EDINBURG, Texas — It was a classic pitcher's duel down in the valley Saturday night.
In the end, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley edged out Lamar University, 2-0, in Game 2 at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
After being retired in order in the bottom of the first, the Vaqueros got on the board first after a fielder's choice to short.
Zane Spinn elevated into the air to snag a line drive and then threw it over to second for the double play to get out of the inning.
The LU defense came into the clutch once more in the bottom of the fourth when
Tab Tracy gunned down a runner at home for the third out as the Vaqueros stranded a pair of runners.
Reese Beheler ended the no-hitter in the top of the fifth with a leadoff single to left center, however, after the sacrifice bunt by
Heladio Moreno, Beheler was stranded at second.
Beheler helped turn another double play by stepping on the bag at first and then firing over to Spinn for the inning-ending play in the bottom of the sixth to keep the deficit at one run.
The Vaqueros extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI ground out to second.
Zak Skinner and Spinn both tallied back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the ninth, however the pair was left stranded.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Ruiz finished 1 for 3 with a single and a walk. He now has a team-best 22 hits. Ruiz entered the game ranked second in NCAA Division I in hits.
- Spinn drew two walks to go 1 for 2 with a single. He has reached base safely in 12-straight games as he leads the team with an on-base percentage of .580.
- Beheler and Skinner each went 1 for 4 with a single.
- Riely Hunsaker kept the Vaqueros scoreless for four-straight innings as he finished with three strikeouts in six innings of work while he allowed one earned run.
- Austin Neal (1.1 innings pitched) and Hayden Stallings (0.2 innings pitched) both came out of the bullpen and did not allow a single hit or run.
UP NEXT
The series finale is at 12 p.m. Sunday, March 2.
