Half and Half
Cedrick Wilson
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Sports
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team took a break from SWAC play
last week as they travelled to play
the 16th ranked Texas A&M Aggies
on April 22 for the first time in the
schools' respective histories.
The Panthers were preparing
for the matchup during the days
heading up to the game because they
knew this would be a good measuring
rod to see where the team was
as they headed toward the SWAC
Tournament in late May.
Unfortunately for the Panthers,
the Texas A&M bats were too
much as they won 21-4. The Panthers
did, however, jump out to an
early lead in the first inning as John
Villapando scored on an error by
the Aggie third baseman to give the
Panthers the early lead. The Aggies
then responded with seven runs in
the bottom of the first and five more
in the bottom of the second to make
the score 12-1. The Panther bats
came alive once again in the bottom
of the inning as Brandon Kendricks
and Brandon Whitby both hit RBI
singles and Oscar Reed earned an
RBI from a fielder's choice to keep
the Panthers in touch at 12-4. However,
Texas A&M closed the door
with nine more runs in the third to
extend the score to 21-4, where it
remained until the game was called
in the 7th inning. Terry Salter (2-5)
received the loss for the Panthers.
On Saturday, the Panthers
looked to rebound as they hosted a
three-game-set against the Broncs of
UT-Pan American. In the first game
of a doubleheader on Saturday, the
Panther offense paced the team as
they came from behind in dramatic
fashion to capture the 11-10 win.
The Panthers wasted no time in this
game as they jumped out to a 3-0
lead in the bottom of the first with a
three-run-blast by Myrio Richard.
The Broncs answered with
a run in the top of the second, but
Prairie View came back with two
more runs in the bottom of the second
as a Pan American error extended
the inning. Odie Davis then hit a
clutch two out double to bring home
two runners which extended the lead
to 5-1. Then, the Broncs' bats came
alive as they scored three runs in the
fourth and another in the fifth, all on
home runs, to tie the game at five.
The Panthers then responded
with another three runs on
the board in their half of the fifth on
a two-RBI double by Kendricks and
a sac fly by Richard. Pan American
scored another run in the top of the
sixth, but Prairie View answered
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