The Skyline Newspaper

Roderick Gunter soars above Concordia defenders during the Feb. 14 contest. Photo by Jason Hennington

Lobos’ Gunter Named ASC West Men’s Basketball “Freshman of Year”

Sul Ross State University freshman guard Roderick Gunter (Houston Westside) was named 2007-08 American Southwest Conference West Division Freshman of the Year, the ASC office announced on Monday (March 2), following a vote of the league’s 15 head basketball coaches.

Four other Lobo men’s and women’s cagers received post-season honors. Fili Torres (Clint) was named to the All-ASC second team and ASC West Division Defensive Team. Art Gonzalez (El Paso Eastwood) received honorable mention, as did Lady Lobo standouts Nitra Woods (Andrews) and Janice Mitchell (Round Rock Stony Point).

Gunter completed his freshman season with the Lobos averaging 11.7 points per game as a guard. He also collected 19 steals, 27 assists along with 75 rebound and a .465 shooting percentage.

Torres averaged 12 points per game at forward, second to Gonzalez’ 12.8 and led in rebounding, grabbing 7.6 per game. He added 19 steals and led the team in blocks with 31 while bagging 33 assists.

Gonzalez closed out his collegiate career with a team-high of 320 season points. He also led the team with 29 steals and 74 assists.

Woods led the Lady Lobos in scoring (12.8 points per game) and rebounding, 8.5. Mitchell averaged 9.8 points and had a team-high 92 assists and 33 steals.

College of the Southwest Edges Lady Lobos in Softball Twin Bill

Two sixth-inning rallies lifted visiting College of the Southwest to 3-0 and 4-3 softball wins against Sul Ross State University Wednesday (Feb. 27).

The Lady Mustangs, 6-14, snapped a scoreless tie with three unearned runs in game one, then broke a 1-1 deadlock with three tallies in game two’s sixth frame. Sul Ross, 0-4, closed within 4-3 with two runs of their own, but fell just short.

Coach Sandra Chambers’ Lady Lobos will compete in the American Southwest Conference First Pitch Tournament Friday and Saturday (March 7-8) at Farmer’s Branch. Sul Ross will face Mississippi College and University of the Ozarks in noon and 2 p.m. games on Friday. They will play LeTourneau and East Texas Baptist in 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. contests on Saturday.

A pair of errors set up Brittany Gatlin’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning of game one Wednesday. A walk, sacrifice, and two-out RBI hits by Ashley Turner and Laura Walp provided insurance as the Lady Mustangs were anchored by Ruby Garza’s four-hit shutout.

Valerie Olivarez (San Antonio) also spaced four hits and a walk, striking out four. All three runs were unearned.

Celina Candelaria (El Paso), Vanessa Pena (San Antonio), Vanadie Carpio (Houston) and Kassie Fuller (Alpine) all singled for Sul Ross.

Gatlin’s second-inning double produced an early CSW edge in the nightcap, but Olivarez homered over the rightfield fence to forge a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third.

In the sixth, a walk, hit batter and a two-out dropped pop fly gave the Lady Mustangs the go-ahead runs.  A wild pitch scored the eventual winning tally.

Sul Ross answered in the bottom of the sixth as Candelaria singled, Carpio doubled and Fuller tripled both runners home. The threat ended when Dee Dee De Lao (Alpine) lined into a double play at third.

Gabriela Cordero (Fort Stockton) slapped a one-out single in the seventh, but reliever Megan Navarrete retired the next two hitters on a pop-up and ground out. Stephanie Ganaway gained the win, allowing four hits and three runs over five frames. She walked one and fanned five. Navarrete earned the save, allowing two hits in two frames, striking out one.

Kara Lick (Gatesville) went the distance for the Lady Lobos, allowing five hits and five walks, striking out four. Only one run was earned.

De Lao singled for Sul Ross’ other hit.

Lobos Drop Baseball Series at Mississippi College

Mississippi College swept a three-game series from visiting Sul Ross State University over the weekend, winning 5-4 and 8-4 Friday (Feb. 29), then claiming an 8-5 win Saturday.

The Lobos, 3-11 overall, open American Southwest Conference West Division action at Belton this weekend, meeting the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in a three-game set Friday and Saturday (March 7-8).

Mississippi College, 4-7, took advantage of a leadoff error in the bottom of the seventh to set up the winning run during Friday’s opener. A sacrifice bunt and balk advanced the runner, and Bruss’ sacrifice fly to right ended the contest.

Javier Arrieta (El Paso) slammed a three-run homer in the third to give the Lobos a 3-1 edge. The Choctaws moved in front 4-3 in the last of the fifth, using two hits, a hit batsman, a throwing error and a passed ball in the three-run rally. Sul Ross tied the score in the top of the seventh when Adrian Zepeda (Clint) was hit by a pitch with two outs, Zach Denson (Fredericksburg) coaxed a walk, and two wild pitches brought Zepeda home.

Jaime Rojo (Alpine) went the distance for the Lobos, allowing five hits, two walks and just two earned runs. He struck out two. Arrieta and Zepeda had Sul Ross’ only hits off starter Craven, who walked six and struck out nine over six and two-thirds frames. Reliever Denson gained the win.

MC scored twice in the fourth to erase a 3-2 deficit, then used a four-run fifth en route to an 8-4 second-game win. The Choctaws outhit the Lobos 12-5, led by Prewitt’s homer and two singles.

Sul Ross gained a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the third, then Isaiah Rayos (Pecos) drilled a solo homer in the fourth for a brief 3-2 edge. MC regained the edge on Embrey’s two-run single in the bottom of the frame, then added four in the fifth. Cobb’s two-run triple and RBI hits from Parks and Prewitt keyed the rally.

The Lobos scored their final run in the eight as Arrieta singled with one out, stole second and third and scored on James Johnson’s (Killeen) ground out.

Eric Castillo (Del Rio) slapped two of the Lobo hits, while Monte Piper (Houston) doubled, Rayos homered and Arrieta singled. Cody Kemmerling (Hitchcock) started and took the loss. Marco Gomez (Fort Hancock) tossed three innings of scoreless relief.

Sul Ross could not overcome an early 4-0 deficit in Saturday’s finale, despite a pair of two-run innings. The Lobos closed within 4-2 in the fifth as Richard Fraire (El Paso) doubled and scored on Andrew Ramos’ (El Paso) single. Ramos moved to third on John Kinsey’s (Lockhart) double and scored as Ryan Kassner (Corpus Christi) grounded out.

MC tallied a single run in the bottom of the fifth, but Ricardo Vera (Hebbronville) and Arrieta singled to open the sixth. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Fraire’s sacrifice fly plated Vera. Arrieta scored on an infield error to narrow the count to 5-4.

The Choctaws responded again, though, as successive two-out hits by Bruss, Hodges and Parks produced two runs.
Sul Ross scored its final run in the eighth as Arrieta singled, Fraire was hit by a pitch and Castillo delivered a two-out single.

Parks’ two-out double in the last of the eighth plated MC’s final run.

Sul Ross collected eight hits, including three singles by Arrieta, doubles from Fraire and Kinsey and singles by Vera, Ramos and Castillo. Michael Otero (Houston) started and took the loss, with relief from Lucas Garza (Hebbronville) and Eddie Vela (Pecos).

Lobo Tracks...Arrieta collected five hits in 11 at-bats to raise his season average to .449. He leads the team with 22 hits, three doubles, two triples, three homers, 15 runs batted in and 13 scored. He has also stolen 10 bases in as many attempts.

Schreiner Defeats Sul Ross Tennis Teams

Visiting Schreiner University posted 9-0 and 8-1 victories over Sul Ross State University’s men’s and women’s tennis teams in Saturday’s (March 1) American Southwest Conference matches.

Sandra Torres (Castroville) gained the Lady Lobos’ only win, as she defeated Michelle Martinez 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 at number two singles. Sul Ross is 2-1 in women’s play, 0-3 in men’s competition.

In other women’s action, Christine Gallardo (El Paso) lost 6-3, 6-1 to Katrina Priess at number one; Judy Sarina (Fabens) lost 6-0, 6-1 to Stephanie Reed at number three; Ashley Hairgrove (Odem) lost 6-0, 6-1 to Alice Wilbanks at number four; April Areliano (Fabens) lost 6-0, 6-2 to Tina Philippi at number five; and Judith Loya (Marfa) was defeated 6-0, 6-0 by Jill Perez at number six.

In doubles, Priess/Martinez defeated Gallardo/Sarina 8-1; Reed/Philippi defeated Torres/Hairgrove 8-4; and Perez/Wilbanks defeated Areliano/Loya 8-0.

In men’s play, Nolan Pritchard (Monahans) lost 6-3, 7-5 to Carlo Sasam; John Langerock (Austin) lost 6-3, 6-2 to Brent Coleman; Jeff Ivey (El Paso) lost 6-0, 6-0 to Riley Winteringer; John Taylor (Godley) lost 6-1, 6-3 to Josh Schumann; Feliz Zapien (Alpine) lost 6-0, 6-0 to Ben Jackson; and James Aldridge (El Paso) lost 6-2, 6-0 to Dan Okland.

In doubles, Coleman/Winteringer defeated Ivey/Langerock 8-5; Sasam/Jackson defeated Coach Kay Whitley’s teams will travel to Silver City, N.M. Friday and Saturday March 7-8 to compete in the Western New Mexico tournament.