pirates

From college baseball walk-on, to NCAA All-American, and now to a top-10 MLB Draft pick, former NMSU infielder Nick Gonzales saw his dreams come to fruition as he was selected seventh overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Arrr, it be true 'ya scallywags and Pirate wannabees, today be yer day!

The Miners made some good moves Saturday at East Carolina -- but that was mainly before the 90-minute weather delay. The rest was...questionable. Check out my quick column at 600ESPNElPaso.com and let me know on Facebook if you agree.

UTEP head coach Mike Price says he's "disappointed, frustrated, but not discouraged" after the Miners' 37-26 loss to Wisconsin in Madison, WI. The Miners are developing a reputation as a hard-hitting team going into Conference USA play.

As the Miners head to the Gulf for a three-game road swing, we'll give you a whiff of some home-cookin'. Here's UTEP freshman Julian Washburn's no-look reverse dunk from last Wednesday's 70-56 win over East Carolina.

"...The result was a rebounding bloodbath that the Miners were only too happy to claim. UTEP out-boarded ECU, 14-5, in the first half and by 20 in the game, 39-19..."

"...They're bucking history. Not soaring above it, not at 5-5. But the physicality, the ability to run and hit, the punch is unlike any team Mike Price has had in the high desert..."

From Time Warner Cable Sports, here are UTEP's highlights from the Miners come-from-behind win over the East Carolina Pirates, including Joe Banyard's eventual game-winning 78-yard TD run.

Joe Banyard celebrated his birthday in grand fashion, as the senior running back scored on a 78-yard run in the fourth quarter to give UTEP a lead it would not relinquish.

UTEP head football coach talks about the Miners' disappointing 41-37 loss to Rice last Saturday and previews UTEP's game against East Carolina this Saturday night.

UTEP head coach Tim Floyd was fired up about the lack of respect for Conference USA after the Miners 66-54 C-USA Tournament semifinal win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, saying he thought it was "ridiculous that we have to win a 26th game" to get into the NCAA tournament for a second straight season...