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Tarleton State University Athletics

HeinrichUTRGVRecap
Grant Cohen
8
UTRGV UTRGV 25-27
10
Winner Tarleton State TAR 33-16
UTRGV UTRGV
25-27
8
Final
10
Tarleton State TAR
33-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UTRGV UTRGV 0 2 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 8 10 0
Tarleton State TAR 0 1 0 6 3 0 0 0 X 10 10 1

W: Doucet, Conner (5-0) L: Bonilla (1-3) S: Phetluangsy, Tai (7)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Grant Cohen

Tarleton State Baseball sends seniors out with series clinching win over UTRGV

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Baseball secured the series against UTRGV with a 10-8 win on Senior Day at the Tarleton State Baseball Complex on Saturday. 

UTRGV took an early lead before the Texans exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to swing the advantage. The Vaqueros scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning before senior pitcher Tai Phetluangsy forced a three up, three down top of the ninth inning to close it out with a victory. Phetluangsy earned his seventh save of the season while fellow senior pitcher Conner Doucet improved to 5-0 on the mound in 2026. 

Senior infielder Ike Shirey led the Texans offensively with a 2-for-4 outing at the plate with three RBIs. Sophomore utility Rayner Heinrich and junior catcher Brady Englett each hit a home run, with Heinrich having four RBIs in the process. 

A single and a double put a pair of UTRGV runners in scoring position in the top of the second inning, with the Vaqueros driving in the game's first two runs off an RBI on an error and a sacrifice fly to left field. The Texans responded by drawing a walk to open the following half inning, allowing Shirey to drive in the run to make it a one-run game. 

UTRGV answered in the top of the fourth inning by doubling down the left field line after a walk, extending the lead off a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat. The Vaqueros followed suit, coming up with another sacrifice fly to score their fourth run of the afternoon. 

It only took a half inning for the Texans to respond, loading the bases off two walks and a single. Shirey's single in the bottom of the fourth inning drove in two runs before another single loaded the bases again. Heinrich made the most of the bases loaded opportunity, hitting a grand slam that allowed the Texans to take a 7-4 lead later in the frame. 

Despite two runs from UTRGV in the top of the fifth inning, the Texans' offense once again caught fire. Englett homered to left field after a single from senior Carson Lorch in the following frame, putting the Texans back up by three runs. 

A walk and stolen base from redshirt junior infielder Raphaël Smeenk put another runner in scoring position for the Texans later in the bottom of the fifth inning, with Tarleton State capitalizing off the opportunity. Sophomore outfielder Kendyl Johnson drove in Smeenk from second base thanks to a single up the middle, giving the Texans their 10th run of the game. 

The Texans produced two shutout innings on defense before UTRGV got back on the board in the top of the eighth inning. UTRGV's Rocco Garza Gongora hit a two-run home to left center to cut the deficit to two runs entering the last inning. That home run was the last hit UTRGV was able to produce, allowing the Texans to take the series and move their home record to 19-7. 

Tarleton State will go for the sweep in the series, sponsored by Texas Health, on Sunday at 12 p.m. at the Tarleton State Baseball Complex. Tickets to the regular season home finale start at just $10.
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