Chirping crowds, unfamiliarity with surroundings and routine disruptions are just a few of the many disadvantages of playing on the road. However, when the UTD baseball team took the field in San Angelo for a series beginning March 13, those challenges quickly faded.

The Comets took down the nationally ranked Angelo State Rams, winning the series, 3 of 4 games, from March 13–15. The Rams, previously ranked No. 13 in the NCAA Division II with a 16-6 record entering the series, have been a dominant force in the Lone Star Conference.

The success came from key contributions by Nico Fernandez, Tag Pacot, Albert Garza and Chris Benavidez. Fernandez and Pacot earned Lone Star Conference honors for hitting and pitching, respectively, following their performances against Angelo State.

Fernandez, a mechanical engineering senior and catcher for the Comets, contributed consistently throughout all four games. He led the Comets at the plate, hitting two home runs in the series, including a two-run shot in Game 3 and posting a four-hit, four-RBI performance in Game 2.

“In my head, I was really just thinking about passing the torch. 

I knew we were down, and I wasn’t trying to hit a home run. I didn’t want to try and make it too big, but I just passed the torch to the next guy because that’s how momentum’s built. That’s how we can make that comeback,” Fernandez said.

Pacot, an applied cognition and neuroscience graduate, has emerged as a late-inning option for the Comets, earning his fourth save of the season in the opener by closing out a one-run game in the ninth inning.

“I’ve succeeded and failed plenty of times throughout my years in baseball in that situation. So having that confidence that I can get out of the inning – that’s my job,” Pacot said.

Travis Graves, head coach, said that much of the success that weekend can be attributed to the effectiveness of the pitching staff.

“The pitching staff was good. They did a great job getting ahead of guys, being able to hit spots and being able to change speeds offensively. That’s really the biggest thing on the road– being able to throw strikes and play good defense,” Graves said.

Graves also highlighted Garza, who consistently helped to generate runs throughout the series “He’s just a very patient hitter. He takes pitches, works his own and knows his own,” Graves said, referring to Garza’s ability to handle at-bats and stay disciplined at the plate.

Competitive at-bats were a key factor in the team’s success, which Graves said was highlighted by Benavidez’s solo home run in the ninth inning of the opener.

Pacot said that being able to showcase their skills in front of a large away crowd was important to setting expectations for the skill level of UTD baseball.

“I think it shows that we’re here to stay and we’re not gonna necessarily just roll over because we were a Division III team or we’re the new guys in the conference. Like, no, that’s not the expectation here,” Pacot said.

Following the series, the Comets now sit in second place in the Lone Star Conference with a 21-8 record as they continue conference play.