The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team delivered a historic performance Wednesday, crushing Rice 20-5 at Reckling Park. The victory set program records for both runs scored and margin of victory against the Owls.
The 20-run explosion broke UTRGV’s previous record of 14 runs against Rice, set in a 1990 road win. It also marked the team’s highest single-game run total since April 4, 2023, when they defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 20-2. The 15-run margin of victory was UTRGV’s largest ever against Rice, surpassing the previous mark of nine runs from a 1990 shutout win.
Now boasting a 20-8 record, the Vaqueros are off to their best start since 2012 and are tied for the ninth-best start in program history.
Standout Performances Propel Vaqueros
Senior Hank Warren shined in his first career cleanup role, going 3-for-4 with a career-high three walks, three RBI, and three runs scored. Over the last three games, Warren is batting an impressive .818 (9-for-11). Graduate student Jacob Sanchez had a career-high four hits, including two doubles, and three RBI. Junior Thomas Williams also posted a career-best four hits with two doubles and three runs scored.
Sophomore Armani Raygoza contributed three hits, a double, three RBI, and three runs, while junior Rene Galván drove in a career-high five runs.
Game Breakdown
Rice took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI single by Tobias Motley. UTRGV responded in the second when Warren and Galván walked, setting up a game-tying single from Sanchez.
Pitcher Kike Cienfuegos (1-0) dominated on the mound, retiring 11 consecutive batters and earning his first career win. The junior pitched a career-high five innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out five.
UTRGV took control in the fourth inning. Sanchez doubled, Williams singled, and Cameron Carter delivered an RBI hit. Raygoza later cleared the bases with a double, and Warren capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 6-1.
The Vaqueros continued to pile on runs, adding one in the fifth and three more in the sixth, highlighted by a Warren RBI single and a sacrifice fly from Galván.
Rice attempted to rally in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs, but UTRGV put the game away in the seventh with a massive 10-run inning. The Vaqueros loaded the bases and capitalized on a wild pitch, two-run doubles from Galván and Sanchez, and a series of RBI hits to reach the final score of 20-5.
With their record-setting win, the Vaqueros continue their strong season and remain a team to watch in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls.
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