PHOTO COURTESY UTRGV ATHLETICS
Carlos Vallejo, an international business junior from Reynosa, Mexico, is a pitcher for the UTRGV Baseball Team. Athletics named Vallejo the UTRGV Student-Athlete of the Week March 30 after tossing 4.0 hitless innings in his first start of the season, helping lead the Vaqueros to a 5-1 win over Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Q: How does it feel to be named Student-Athlete of the Week?
A: “It feels really good. I work hard every day to help my team, so this recognition means a lot.
Q: You threw 4.0 hitless innings in your first start of the season. What was working so well for you that day?
A: “My fastball and my secondary pitches were working really well. I was mixing them well, and everything felt good that day.”
Q: You were perfect through 3.2 innings. What was your mindset on the mound during that stretch?
A: “I was just taking it pitch by pitch, inning by inning and trying to stay focused the whole time.”
Q: You set career highs in innings pitched and pitches thrown. What did that outing mean to you, personally?
A: “It means a lot to me. I put in a lot of work since last year, so it felt really good to see that pay off.”
Q: How do you want to keep building on this performance going into the next games?
A: “I just want to keep doing the same thing every day. Keep working hard, and stay confident.”
Q: What does this recognition mean to you and your team?
A: “It means a lot, especially for the team, because we are competing to make it to regionals.”
Q: What is a fun fact that most people don’t know about you?
A: “A fun fact is that I don’t really speak English.”
–Compiled by Diego Vita
