TEXARKANA, TX---The University of the Southwest Baseball program played their final regular season series of the year over the weekend as they took on the Texas A&M-Texarkana Eagles in a four-game set. The Mustangs were designated as the home team with Texarkana hosting the series at their home stadium. USW won the series 3-1 which included 2 walk-off victories to close out each day. The season win brings the Mustangs record to 21-32 on the season and 8-16 in conference play. 


FRIDAY
Game 1: USW 4---TAMUT 2
Game 2: USW 4---TAMUT 3 (10 INNINGS)

The Mustangs won a pair of tight ballgames on Friday afternoon as they needed just four runs in each game to secure the doubleheader sweep. Gavy Perez-Torres sent a ball deep over the left-field fence in the 5th inning of Game 1 to give the Mustangs a 4-2 lead. Perez-Torres finished the game going 2-3 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored. Brian Rodriguez and Seth Casias were each 2-3 in the game. Starter TJ Ruiz earned the victory as he outdueled Eagle starting pitcher Jared Davis. Ruiz went 6 innings allowing just 2 runs while striking out 5. 

Game 2 was a game of missed opportunities for the Mustangs as they left 17 runners on base in the game. The game required extra innings to determine a winner as Mustang DH Tariq Levesque drove home Brian Rodriguez on an RBI double in the bottom of the 10th to give the Mustangs a 4-3 victory. Gavy Perez-Torres continued his great afternoon as he went 3-5 with 2 doubles, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored. Omar Baldenegro was 2-3 with a walk and run scored. Starting pitcher AJ Cordova went 7 innings allowing only 3 runs and struck out 6 Eagle hitters. 


SATURDAY
Game 3: TAMUT 10---USW 3
Game 4: USW 6---TAMUT 5

With the Mustangs not being able to host a Senior Day event at 'The Jake' in Hobbs, TAMUT honored the 6 Mustang seniors in between games with a ceremony that included friends and family. Ismael Brenes, Jacob Harris, Avry Ybarra, Bobby Galindo, Carlos Baldenegro and Brian Rodriguez were recognized for their hardwork and dedication to the Mustang baseball program over the past few years. 

Carlos Baldenegro got the start on the mound in Game 4 as he went 4 innings allowing 3 runs with 1 strike out. The Mustangs used a combination of Hunter McLarry, Victor Maldonado, Drake Denning and Isaac Baeza to finish out the game as they allowed only 2 runs and struck out 3 as a whole. 

USW took a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning thanks to a Tariq Levesque 2-run homerun to right-center field. The Eagles would take the lead in the top of the 3rd, but it wouldn't last long as Gavy Perez-Torres continued his hot weekend with a 2-run home run of his own to put the Mustangs back on top 4-3. Both teams were knotted up at 5-5 as the Mustangs came to the plate in the bottom of the 9th. Leadoff hitter Omar Baldenegro came up to the plate with runners on 1st and 3rd and 2 outs. Baldenegro hit a slow chopper to shortstop who was unable to make the play, allowing Dair Ornelas to score the winning run, walking off the Eagles for a second straight day. 

The Mustangs have secured a spot in the 2021 RRAC Tournament this coming week and are waiting on other teams in the conference to finish their schedules to finalize seedings for the tournament.