Thursday, 05 12 2022

Jaguars double previous season’s wins and players earn All-RRAC honors 

SAN ANTONIO – Texas A&M University–San Antonio’s softball team enjoyed a memorable 2022 season that saw the Jaguars set many program firsts. 

The Jaguars (23-30) more than doubled their previous season’s win total in year two as they qualified for the Red River Athletic Conference in the first year they were eligible. A&M–San Antonio finished sixth overall out of 11 teams in the conference. 

When they reached the conference’s postseason event, the Jaguars did not stop winning. A&M–San Antonio claimed not one, but two wins during the double-elimination tournament, eliminating two opponents in the process. 

The Jaguars placed three players – Vanessa Garces, Andrea Ortiz, and Peyton Vasquez – on the All-RRAC teams, while Julia Pinzon was named to the All-RRAC Tournament team at the conclusion of the postseason event. 

Texas A&M–San Antonio’s softball team set numerous program firsts throughout the year. The list includes: 

• First win over a ranked NAIA opponent (April 22 at No. 13 Texas A&M–Texarkana) 
• First win over a team receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll (March 12 in a 7-6 win over Our Lady of the Lake) 
• First wins and sweep over a team that eventually qualified for the NAIA National Tournament (Feb. 19 in a doubleheader sweep of William Woods [Mo.]) 
• First winning streaks of five games (Accomplished twice during the season) 
• First victories ended early due to mercy rule (Accomplished three times during the season, including the 10-1 win over Xavier [La.] in the RRAC Tournament) 
• First conference statistical leader at the end of the season (Peyton Vasquez’ 45 stolen bases; this is still in doubt as OLLU’s stolen base leader trails by seven as the team heads to the NAIA National Tournament) 
• First RRAC Tournament victories (Accomplished May 7 with wins over Xavier [La.] and LSU–Alexandria) 
• First season in which the Jaguars defeated every conference opponent at least once 
• First season in which multiple home runs were hit (Interestingly, after hitting just one home run as a team last year in Oklahoma City, the 2022 Jaguars hit eight home runs, all in San Antonio) 
• First season in which a player ranked in the RRAC’s Top 10 in home runs (Julia Pinzon’s six home runs currently ranks seventh in the conference) 
• First season in which a starting pitcher compiled a winning record (Ebbie Rodriguez went 8-7 for the Jaguars) 
• First Senior Day to recognize graduating seniors. Vanessa Garces will graduate in May 2022, and will become the program’s first alumna. 

With such an exhilarating run through the season and postseason, the future appears bright for the Jaguars in 2023.

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 About Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Established as a stand-alone university in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a comprehensive four-year public university that reflects the culturally diverse, heritage-rich community it serves. Situated on nearly 700 acres in south San Antonio, the University offers 33 undergraduate degrees and 16 graduate degrees to nearly 7,000 students. A&M-San Antonio is home to the Henry G. Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders and the Cyber Engineering Technology/Cyber Security Research Center. The University holds the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation and is one of only 24 higher education institutions in the U.S. to have received the Seal of Excelencia certification from Excelencia in Education for its support of Latino student success. More than 75 percent of A&M-SA students identify as Hispanic, and 73 percent are the first in their family to attend college. A&M-San Antonio is a military-embracing institution; in 2020, Military Times ranked the University No. 35 in the nation for “Best for Vets: Colleges.” Visit tamusa.edu for more information. #onamission