RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros baseball team beat the UT Arlington Mavericks 3-2 in 10 innings on Sunday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
 
UTRGV drew 8,906 fans for the 3-game series, increasing the season total home attendance to 33,804 through 19 dates, an average of 1,779 fans per date.
 
With the game tied at 2 in the 10^th, senior Kade York drew a leadoff walk against Nicholas Robb (1-1). After a sacrifice bunt, the Mavericks (14-18, 9-6 WAC) intentionally walked junior Sharyland alum Martin Vazquez. Junior Steven Lanciafollowed with a chopper to the right side. The throw to first sailed toward the dugout, allowing York to score to end the game.
 
That made a winner of senior Vela alum Nico Rodriguez (3-0), who pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out one.
 
The Vaqueros (16-13, 6-6 WAC) bullpen was dominant, as Rodriguez, junior Jack Lopez, and junior Robert Bonillacombined to pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, striking out 11 while allowing four hits and two walks.
 
Lopez struck out a career-high tying four in 2.2 scoreless innings.
 
Bonilla struck out a career-high six in a career-high 2.2 hitless innings.
 
Lancia gave the Vaqueros a 1-0 lead in the first with a 2-out RBI-single.
 
The Mavericks scored in the third on a Tyson Pointer sacrifice fly and the fourth on a Parker Airhart home run to take a 2-1 lead.
 
In the sixth, freshman PSJA alum Julius Ramirez pinch-hit and blasted his first-career home run to tie the game at 2. The ball landed at the base of the construction fence separating the road behind left field of the stadium from the construction area of the Vaqueros Performance Center.
 
UTRGV opens a 3-game series against Utah Valley on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive UTRGV towels. The game also features the Cane's Challenge. If the Vaqueros win, all fans in the stadium will receive coupons for buy one, get one free box combos at Raising Cane's on their way out. Additionally, UTRGV Athletics will honor the women's golf seniors on the field during the game. 
 
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at GoUTRGV.com/Tickets. Current UTRGV students receive free general admission with their student ID. All fans need to follow the clear bag policy, details of which can be found at GoUTRGV.com/ClearBag. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
 
Fans can watch domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via WAC International.
 
UTRGV was originally scheduled to face No. 25 TCU on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the games have been cancelled due to the threat of inclement weather.

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