Author Archives: Jerry Briggs

Hallmark says that surging UTSA could make a run at the College World Series

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Nathan Hodge home run. His brother Ty Hodge is partially hidden behind him. UTSA beat Rice 11-4 in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, May 15, 2025. - photo by Joe Alexander

Nathan Hodge (11) gets the ‘boom’ treatment from older brother Ty Hodge after slamming a two-run home run in the third inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Inspiring hope for a deep run in the NCAA tournament this season and for an improved fan experience in coming years, the UTSA Roadrunners just keep adding to their legacy as perhaps the best baseball team in school history.

Two weeks ago in Florida, they clinched at least a share of the regular-season title in the American Athletic Conference. Last weekend in North Carolina, they won the title outright.

Returning home to San Antonio this week, they opened their ninth and final three-game, AAC series against the Rice Owls, won the first game and set the school record for victories in a season.

UTSA starting pitcher Conor Myles. UTSA beat Rice 11-4 in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, May 15, 2025. - photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA starting pitcher Conor Myles (5-1) earned the victory after pitching five innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Now, a day later, they’ve taken yet another step in their journey. The Roadrunners jumped on the Owls early Friday night, scored five runs in the first inning off J.D. McCracken, and then kept on applying the pressure throughout the evening en route to an easy 11-4 decision.

UTSA is now 2-0 against Rice in the series leading into Saturday’s regular-season finale, meaning that they have effectively run the table, winning all nine of their three-game sets against AAC competition.

Brothers Ty and Nathan Hodge, who played shortstop and third base, respectively, led the charge against the Owls with three RBI apiece. Ty Hodge slapped a two-run single to highlight a five-run first inning and Nathan, the younger of the brothers from College Station, slammed a two-run home run in the third.

When his second homer of the season landed in the screen above the left field wall, the Roadrunners had built a 7-3 lead. The Owls cut the deficit to three runs in the middle of the game but couldn’t do much more than watch the Roadrunners pull away for their 41st victory of the season.

With the win, the Roadrunners improved to 41-11 on the season and 22-4 in conference. They have won 16 of their last 18 games and are 15-2 in their last 17 in the AAC.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said Friday night that he thinks the team has the potential to reach College World Series in Omaha, Neb. His statement came after a reporter asked if he thought that his program had reached a ceiling on what he believed it could achieve when he took the job back in 2020.

What the team has accomplished to this point in the season isn’t the ceiling, he said.

“This team can go to Omaha,” Hallmark added.

He said the Roadrunners will need to “keep being competitive hitters” and to identify maybe a few more reliable pitchers on the roster to help them maneuver through the AAC postseason and the first two weekends of the NCAA tournament.

“I don’t think we’ve reached our ceiling,” Hallmark said. “The ceiling is Omaha. That’s what we’re going for. We need to find a guy or two, like, the guys who are going to pitch tomorrow. We need to find three to six outs. Because with five guys? I don’t know if we can get through an entire regional with only five guys, which is what we’ve got now. We probably could. But that’s five guys who all have to pitch (well).

“Nobody can have a bad game, and that’s hard to do. It’s like hitting. All nine guys don’t (normally) have good games. So the ceiling is higher than what we’ve already done.”

With the AAC tournament starting next week in Clearwater, Fla., Hallmark suggested that the top-seeded Roadrunners shouldn’t put any limits on what they believe they can achieve. He said that at the start of this season, he would have been happy with the current results.

But he now sees this UTSA team as comparable in ability as Rice teams in 2006, 2007 and 2008 that reached the College World Series.

“This team can play offense with any of them, and defense,” he said. “And our top five pitchers are as good as some of them. But we may have been a little deeper on the mound on those (teams at Rice).”

Braylon Owens. UTSA beat Rice 11-4 in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, May 15, 2025. - photo by Joe Alexander

Senior Braylon Owens pitched two and two thirds scoreless innings in his last game at Roadrunner Field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA is 20th in the NCAA’s ratings percentage index, or, RPI. The team is also ranked 25th in Baseball America, one of the prominent college baseball media polls. Playing at home, the Roadrunners have been nearly unbeatable this season. They’re 24-2 and riding a six-game winning streak at Roadrunner Field.

Fan interest in the team also is growing. Despite opening-pitch temperatures in the first two games of the Rice series hovering at 100 degrees, the grandstands and the outlying areas have been bustling with people, many of them hunkering down in the shade of trees on the left field side of the ball park complex.

Hallmark said it’s satisfying to see the uptick in interest compared to his first few games in the 2020 season.

“I don’t think much about it when the game is going on,” he said. “I’m kind of busy. But coach (Ryan) Aguayo and I talk about it, because we’ve been here the whole time, when there weren’t many people here besides the parents. And I still think there could be more.”

The coach suggested that modest improvements to the layout of the current facility could make it attractive.

“I think the footprint of the field is wonderful,” he said as he stood in the home team dugout, looking around at the compplex. “But if we can do some stuff back here with the entry-way (into the stadium) and even over here in the arbor … where all these trees are, if we can make that a little nicer with a deck and some nicer (grand) stands, people will come out here.”

He said he thinks baseball at UTSA can be self-sustaining financially if a little more can be done to make the fans feel more comfortable.

“Baseball is not typically a revenue-generating sport,” he said. “But I was at Rice University from (2005 to 2017) and we generated revenue. There’s no reason we can’t do that here. Besides the product on the field, we need to give them a comfortable environment to sit in and watch the game in shade and all those types of things, and I think it’ll come.”

Records

Rice 17-37, 10-16
UTSA 41-11, 22-4

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, Saturday, 1 p.m. (end of the regular season)
AAC tournament, at Clearwater, Fla., Tuesday through Sunday, May 25

Notable

The Roadrunners will salute 10 athletes Saturday on Senior Day, including starters Mason Lytle, James Taussig, Andrew Stucky and Norris McClure. Also among the group are starting pitchers Braylon Owens and Conor Myles. Four others are Ty Tilson, Lorenzo Morresi, Garrett Gruell and Jake Cothran.

Ty Hodge. UTSA beat Rice 11-4 in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, May 15, 2025. - photo by Joe Alexander

Ty Hodge had two hits in three at bats and drove in three runs as UTSA won its second game in two days against Rice. .- Photo by Joe Alexander

Crunch time: Every game down the stretch will affect UTSA’s NCAA chances

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Pat Hallmark. UTSA beat Rice 15-7 on Thursday night in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Pat Hallmark’s UTSA Roadrunners are pushing for a strong finish to the season in hopes of securing a berth in the NCAA tournament. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Lefthander Conor Myles will start for the UTSA Roadrunners Friday night against the Rice Owls as they attempt a nine-for-nine achievement in the American Athletic Conference.

In other words, the AAC’s regular-season champions are playing their ninth and final conference series of the season, and they’re hoping to run the table and win them all.

Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark said it’s an important goal to achieve, but he said it’s at least equally important that they win Friday and also Saturday, if possible, to bolster their hopes of a berth in the NCAA tournament.

“That’s where the wins matter a lot,” Hallmark said. “We’re trying to keep ourselves in a position to kind of push that (NCAA) at large (bid possibility). People keep telling us we’re in, and that’s awesome. But three years ago we thought we were in, also. It’s always on our mind. So, yeah, we’d like to win the series because of that and to win every conference series.”

After UTSA rallied from a seven-run deficit to down Rice Thursday night, 15-7, the two teams are scheduled to play again Friday at 6 p.m. and again on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.

UTSA (now 40-11 and 21-4 in the AAC) entered the Rice series at No. 20 in the NCAA’s ratings percentage index, or, RPI. They remained 20th when the new RPI was published after Thursday night. It’s a good place to be in terms of the team’s hopes to reach the 64-team NCAA tournament.

But it’s also worth wondering what a loss to Rice or even two more losses might mean for the team’s long-term goals.

That is apparently why Hallmark mentioned the heartbreaking end to the team’s season three years ago. After winning on the road twice at nationally-ranked Southern Mississippi in the 2022 Conference USA tournament, and then losing to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the finals, the Roadrunners settled in at No. 37 on the RPI and did not get an NCAA invitation.

The coach obviously hopes to avoid something like that this season.

If, say, the Roadrunners were to lose twice to Rice in the next few days and then lose the first two games of the AAC tournament next week in Florida, what would happen to their RPI? How far would they fall? How would the NCAA tournament selection committee view a non-power conference team that won eight straight AAC series and won 40 games, but then failed to finish strong?

Thinking about the team’s future in terms of a worst-case scenario also invites speculation on how much UTSA gained Thursday night by coming from behind to win. As it turned out, Rice (17-36, 10-15) actually ascended three spots on the RPI, moving up to No. 209, by collapsing and losing to the Roadrunners with 10 walks and three errors.

If Rice actually advanced in the RPI with such a dispiriting loss, how far would UTSA have fallen if it had failed to rally? Perhaps thinking back to what happened in 2022, Hallmark clearly was upset with his team’s lack of urgency in the first few innings.

“We were down 7-0 and getting no-hit,” he said. “I was frustrated. I didn’t think we were playing well. We were playing (passively) … I just thought we were playing a little soft, a little bit weak. Which boiled down to one or two reasons. Either we were a little arrogant coming out here slightly cocky, slightly arrogant. Or, we were playing like we didn’t want to mess up.

“I’m not sure which, but that’s the way we were playing, so I just kind of told them, this isn’t the way we play. We’re down seven nothing at this point. I said, ‘We might not win this game, but let’s try to play baseball (aggressively). If we screw this up and make a bunch of of mistakes, we need to make ’em aggressively, so, we were fortunate.

“Their pitcher walked us a little bit, but, some of those walks, you got to earn them, too. But that helped us … You could see the momentum shifting.”

After the Roadrunners rallied to win going away, Hallmark reflected on reaching the 40-win milestone, a first for a program that won 39 games in both 1994 and 2008.

“I’m proud of the team,” he said. “I tell everyone that will listen at this point, these kids are wonderful. They’re wonderful people. They’re good at baseball. I’ve been part of other good baseball teams. But the difference in this team is the quality of the person … wonderful. It’s hard to get on ’em. Actually had to motivate myself in the fourth inning to get a little pissed at ’em, the way we were playing, because I like ’em so much.

“I usually have no problem getting on people. They’re a bunch of good people, and I’m lucky to get to coach ’em.”

Records

Rice 17-36, 10-15
UTSA 40-11, 21-4

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, Friday, 6 p.m.
Rice at UTSA, Saturday, 1 p.m. (end of the regular season)
AAC tournament, at Clearwater, Fla., starting Tuesday.
The tournament runs through next weekend, with the finals on Sunday, May 25.

Notable

The only team in the AAC assured of a bid to the NCAA tournament is the winner of the conference’s postseason event in Florida. Eight of 10 AAC teams will qualify, and the Owls are one of them, so they are still in contention for that NCAA automatic bid. UTSA is likely the only team in the AAC with a shot at an at-large bid. As the UTSA coach has noted, speculation is that the Roadrunners are in good shape to be in an NCAA regional. But if the Roadrunners come up short of a title in Clearwater, their fate would be up to a selection committee. That is why it’s so important for them to win Friday and Saturday, if possible.

UTSA wins its 40th game of the season to set a school record after rallying to down Rice, 15-7

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Norris McClure slides safely into home to tie the game 7-7 on Drew Detlefsen's three-run double in the fifth inning. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Norris McClure slides safely into home to tie the game 7-7 on Drew Detlefsen’s three-run double in the fifth inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA baseball established a program record with its 40th victory of the season on Thursday night at Roadrunner Field.

The Roadrunners did it when they rallied from a seven-run deficit to down the Rice Owls 15-7 in the opener of the last series of the regular season. The teams are set to play again Friday and Saturday at UTSA.

Down by a 7-0 score and hitless through four and a third innings, the Roadrunners started to come alive when freshman Caden Miller slammed a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Miller’s blast over the right field wall broke up the no-no and propelled UTSA to a seven-run inning.

After the home run, Diego Diaz struck out swinging, giving Rice starter Jackson Blank an opening to limit UTSA to just one run. But it was not meant to be for Blank or the Owls, as Garrett Gruell reached base on an infield throwing error.

After that, the wheels came off for the Owls.

First, UTSA’s Jordan Ballin drew a walk from Blank, who was then pulled out the game by Rice coach David Pierce. Reliever Garrett Stratton entered and had no better luck, as he walked Mason Lytle to load the bases. Stratton, coming unraveled, proceeded to walk both James Taussig and Andrew Stucky in succession to force in a runner each time.

Next, Stratton threw a curve ball that got away from him and he hit Norris McClure on the leg, forcing in another run to pull UTSA within three. At that point, Drew Detlefsen took advantage of the situation and drove a ball to right field for a three-run double to tie the game, 7-7.

The Roadrunners added three more runs in the sixth and five in the seventh to turn it into a runaway.

With the victory, the Roadrunners improved to 40-11 overall and 21-4 in the American Athletic Conference. After UTSA started baseball in 1992, the team won 39 games in its third season of existence, in 1994, and won 39 again in 2008.

Under Coach Pat Hallmark, the Roadrunners won 38 in both 2022 and 2023 before breaking through this season with a team that just refuses to fold when it’s faced with adversity.

“We just have some tough people,” Hallmark said.

In the last month, the Roadrunners have steadily pulled away from the pack to become the dominant team in the American Athletic Conference. They’ve posted a 15-2 record in their last 17 games overall, including 14-2 in conference play.

They got so hot they clinched at least a share of the AAC title on May 4 at South Florida and then won it outright last Friday on the first night of a three-game series at East Carolina.

The title is UTSA’s first in 17 years, and the Roadrunners will be the No. 1 seed in the AAC tournament next week. But first, they want to close out the regular season the way they have played all year — by winning.

Miller said he wants to win the next two games for the seniors who will be playing their last few games at home.

“A lot of them took us under their wing,” Miller said. “Mason Lytle, James Taussig, Andrew Stucky, and many other guys … It’s really huge to have guys like that who have been here and have played college baseball for three to five years. And, you know, you come out here, and you’re able to talk to these guys like you’ve known ’em forever.

“It’s very helpful and it’s very exciting to have guys like that who have done this. We’re able to talk to them about what’s going on, how things are going. Yeah, I want to send these guys off with a bang. Send them off with a series win this week at the Bird Bath one last time.”

Records

Rice 17-36, 10-15
UTSA 40-11, 21-4

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, Friday, 6 p.m.
Rice at UTSA, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Notable

UTSA set two other records Thursday night. First, Ballin established the program’s freshman mark for walks in a season with 37. Ryan Arevalos set the previous record of 36 in 1992. In addition, the team set the record for most RBI in a season with 431. Coming into the Rice game, the Roadrunners were tied for the previous mark of 419, set originally in 2008.

Miller finished the game three for five at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Garrett Gruell had one hit in four at bats with a run scored and two RBI. Two hitting streaks were extended, by Taussig (to 18 games) and by McClure (to 17 games).

As for the UTSA pitching, starter Zach Royse had a tough day, allowing seven runs on eight hits in four innings. Royse gave up three home runs, including a three-run blast to Landon West in the first inning, a Paul Smith solo shot in the second and a three-run blow by Cole Green in the fourth. Green’s blast gave the Owls a 7-0 lead.

Replacing Royse, Sam Simmons (1-0) earned his first victory of his UTSA career by pitching two scoreless innings of relief. Rob Orloski and Kendall Dove blanked the Owls the rest of the way, with Orloski striking out four in 1 and 2/3 innings. Dove fanned two in 1 and 1/3.

When Dove entered to pitch in the eighth inning, Orloski didn’t leave the game. He stayed and played left field. He remained in left through the ninth inning, giving UTSA the opportunity to bring him back to pitch if necessary. It’s the second time in eight days that UTSA has used Orloski as an outfielder after a relief pitching appearance.

For the Roadrunners, it’s an experimentation on strategy to prepare for an occasion in the postseason when they might need to have the hard-throwing righthander pitch at different times of the game. Orloski did just that against East Carolina, pitching in the seventh inning, coming out to play the outfield for a time in the eighth and then re-entering when the Pirates rallied.

Rice pitcher Davion Hickson was a surprise scratch from the lineup. “He just wasn’t ready,” a Rice spokesman said. Hickson had been pitching well as the team’s Friday night starter, giving up only five runs in 24 and 2/3 innings over his last three starts. On May 2, the junior righthander pitched a nine-inning complete game shutout against Charlotte, allowing only one hit and three walks while striking out nine.

Robert Orloski. UTSA beat Rice 15-7 on Thursday night in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Robert Orloski struck out four in 1 and 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He yielded just one hit. – Photo by Joe Alexander

As UTSA angles for a record 40-win season and more, James Taussig is enjoying the ride

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James Taussig. UTSA lost to UT-Arlington 10-9 in the Roadrunners' baseball season opener on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig has emerged as one of the hottest hitters in the American Athletic Conference over the past five weeks, hitting for a .408 average with 29 RBI during a 17-game batting streak. . – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Years from now, UTSA outfielder James Taussig may recall the camaraderie with his teammates off the baseball diamond as fondly as he will remember a championship season on it.

The cookouts. The fishing expeditions. The whimsical forays into social media marketing.

James Taussig, a senior right fielder for UTSA baseball. At UTSA media day at Roadrunner Field, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2005. - Photo by Joe Alexander.

James Taussig, a New York native who attended Houston Episcopal High School, is credited with playing a leadership role on a team that has won the AAC regular-season championship. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“I mean, it’s so much fun,” Taussig said. “I can think of just (so) many life-long stories … coming back (home) on the plane, coming back on the bus. I mean, we all hang out every day.”

For instance, Taussig and “four or five” of his teammates congregated at his house on Monday afternoon.

They cooked steaks on the grill and relaxed for most of the afternoon and into the evening, until close to midnight.

On Tuesday morning, he and a few others went fishing on a pond near campus before they came over to campus for an afternoon practice.

“I’ve never been on another team like it,” Taussig said. “And I know winning helps, but I think even if we’re having a poor season, this group of guys would still be just as close, just because of the friendships and everything.”

Wait a minute.

Everyone who follows UTSA baseball on social media knows about Taussig and his “mini mic” interviews.

They started last fall and gained popularity online as he quizzed teammates on pop culture, their likes and dislikes, just about everything.

But, fishing?

Fishing for more success

In an interview on the eve of a home series against the Rice Owls that starts Thursday afternoon, Taussig acknowledged that he is learning the fine art of angling from some of his more experienced friends.

“I’ll give a little shout out to Braylon Owens for being probably the top angler man on the team,” Taussig said. “Him and Zach Royse can really fish. I’m their little protégé’ right now. But I’m learning from them.”

Never mind that Taussig is a 6-foot-6, 230-pounder who is crushing the baseball right now like few others in the AAC.

The “little protégé’ “ sounds as if he’s pretty dedicated to his hobby. He says players fish on a pond at Hidden Lake Apartments behind the new H-E-B under construction on Loop 1604.

“There’s a little lake tucked back in there,” Taussig said. “We try to go out there after practice when we can. And we actually did bring our rods on the road to (South Florida) two weeks ago.”

James Taussig. UTSA beat Wichita State 6-5 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, May 3, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig, who slashes .349/.440/.618 for the AAC champions, has also improved defensively this season. He plays right field. – File photo by Joe Alexander

On the road trip to Tampa that yielded three victories on the baseball diamond, the players took time out to fish.

“We got out there, after the games on Saturday, me and Josh Vaughn and Braylon and Zach,” Taussig said. “Went out and took a little Uber ride to some little, I guess, river. Got out there and had some fun.”

Taussig and the Roadrunners have been having a blast on the ball field for most of the season.

They’ve compiled a 39-11 record, including 20-4 in the AAC. At South Florida, after sweeping the Bulls, they clinched at least a share of the conference title.

Last weekend at East Carolina, they clinched it outright.

Riding a hot streak

Like most championship teams, they’ve had a number of players step into prominent roles, but few have been hotter than Taussig, who is riding a 17-game hitting streak.

During the streak, the New York native who attended Episcopal High School in Houston has produced 29 hits in 71 at bats for a .408 average.
All told, he’s raised his average to .349 for the season, to go along with a .440 on base and .618 slugging percentages.

“He’s been fantastic,” UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said. “He’s been steady all year. He’s been so critical to us, like so many of these guys have (been). I think he’s most excited about how he’s hitting versus left-handed pitching.”

Taussig is hitting better than .300 for the season against lefties, Hallmark said, a drastic improvement from earlier in his career when the Roadrunners often wouldn’t play him against anyone but righthanders.

“At the college level, the majority of young left-handed hitters do not embrace and enjoy facing left-handed pitching,” Hallmark said. “ … JT has really accepted that challenge. He’s doing a good job against left-handed pitching.

“(We) talk about it quite a bit. I’m not surprised at how good he’s doing overall. He’s a good hitter. He can hit the baseball very hard in terms of raw exit velocity, which is why some of the pro guys like him, despite the fact that he’s not a great runner.

“But he can just pound the baseball. He hits it really hard. It’s pretty impressive.”

UTSA reliever Braylon Owens got the win in Sunday's victory over Florida International at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander

When players are hanging out off the field, they sometimes go fishing at a pond off Loop 1604 near the UTSA campus. Starting pitcher Braylon Owens (above) is probably the top angler on the team and caught a bass Tuesday morning, Taussig told The JB Replay. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Taussig, who played in Virginia at Radford as a freshman before transferring to UTSA, said coaches challenged him last fall to work on his craft.

“You look in the mirror a little bit,” Taussig said. “How do I improve? How do I stay in the lineup? I don’t want to come out every time a left-handed pitcher comes in. I want to keep playing.”

Taussig said the focus since last fall has been on something as simple as just seeing the ball.

“Instead of focusing on specific pitches, just kind of hunting an area of the plate to look for the ball,” he said. “That really seemed to help me. It’s led to a lot more success this year and, luckily, I’ve been able to stay in the lineup, facing left-handed pitchers.

“I’m pretty happy with that.”

Fans who witnessed Taussig’s three home-run showing – to all fields — against the Memphis Tigers during a three-day period in late April might still be talking about it.

On Friday night, he pulled a drive into the trees beyond the right field wall.

On Saturday, he scorched one to center that cleared the high wall serving as the batters’ eye. It landed some 430 feet beyond home plate. On Sunday, he pounced on a pitch and drilled it over the fence in left center.

“He’s just a good hitter,” UTSA shortstop Ty Hodge said. “He seems to be locked in right now. Every time he goes up to the plate, I have confidence in him. I feel like he’s going to hit a ball hard somewhere. He’s just a good hitter, and it’s fun to watch him.”

Working on a dream season

Taussig sat on a picnic table and talked with a reporter for about 15 minutes Tuesday afternoon. At the outset of the interview, he seemed a bit reticent to talk about his own personal achievements and steered the conversation more toward what the team has accomplished.

He’s more than proud of all that, including the 39 wins to tie a school record. Taussig tried to put in perspective what it means to have won a championship for the first time at UTSA since 2008, and yet at the same time, having the potential to do so much more.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “The way I look at it myself, this is the first goal that we had to accomplish in order to accomplish the bigger things that we want to get to. Making a regional, making a super regional, and then making it to Omaha eventually.

Ty Hodge. UTSA beat Oakland (Michigan) 13-3 on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander.

UTSA shortstop Ty Hodge, whose walkoff RBI single won the Memphis game on April 27, says it’s been fun to watch Taussig at the plate lately. Taussig has five home runs since April 25. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“I mean, you can’t do that without winning a regular-season championship or a tournament championship. So, we’ve done one of those things and there’s still a lot of important games this weekend that we need to play for each other, and keep winning and try to set some program records that maybe some day will be reached, but you know, we want to have it for a little bit.

“Hopefully (we can) get to 42 wins this weekend. Kind of start stretching a little gap. But, it’s very cool. (Winning a championship) hasn’t been done in a long time.”

Most championship teams at any level of sport are always trying to strike a balance between grinding it out in practice and paying attention to details, but also having fun and enjoying the ride.

Taussig said the Roadrunners have done a good job of that so far. Such as, fishing in the morning, and then practicing in the afternoon. One day, he said, he does see the potential for the fishing to be promoted in a mini mic segment.

When that concept was suggested Tuesday afternoon, his eyes lit up.

“That’s a very real possibility,” he said. “I think that should definitely start being considered. That should be brought up.”
Could it become a commercial venture?

“Exactly,” he said. “If any fishing shops that want to hit up UTSA baseball with some NIL (business), we’re here. We’re waiting. There’s about 10 of us that go out to fish. So, we’re happy to advertise your products.”

Editor’s note: James Taussig homered in each of UTSA’s three home games against Memphis from April 25-27, with one leaving the park in right field, one that traveled more than 430 feet to center and this one to left.

AAC champion UTSA prepares to host the David Pierce-coached Rice Owls

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Emotions on the baseball diamond always run a little higher than usual when the Rice Owls show up as the visiting team at Roadrunner Field.

This year, a little more spice has been added with UTSA having already clinched its first conference title in 17 years. In addition, there’s also the impending meeting between head coaches who know each other well.

UTSA beat Oakland (Michigan) 13-3 on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Pat Hallmark has led the Roadrunners to the American Athletic Conference regular-season title. He’ll face a coaching friend in David Pierce this weekend when UTSA hosts Rice at Roadrunner Field.- File photo by Joe Alexander

In another era, UTSA’s Pat Hallmark and Rice’s David Pierce spent six seasons together on the same coaching staff.

From 2006-11, they both toiled at Rice under Wayne Graham, a coaching legend in Texas baseball circles who led the Owls to six College World Series and one national title during his 27 years at the Houston-based private school.

With UTSA and Rice set to meet in a three-game AAC series from Thursday through Saturday, the two have already been in communication.

Pierce worked at Rice as an assistant in 1999 and from 2003-11 and Hallmark from 2006-16. Asked about the possible complications of coaching against someone he knows, Hallmark downplayed it.

“Oh, there’s no complications,” Hallmark said. “I want to beat him more than if I didn’t know him. And he knows that. We’re friends. We texted this morning. I have nothing but respect for David and what he’s done in his career. His resume’ is very impressive … He’s a wonderful coach. Great competitor. Very, very competitive.

“We have that in common. We might get into it this weekend, but in the long run, we’ll be friends.”

After Rice announced a coaching change on March 13, Jose Cruz Jr. was out. By March 17, the Owls had hired Pierce, a veteran with more than 500 victories as a head coach.

Pierce’s nine seasons at Rice saw the Owls win a conference title and qualify for the NCAA tournament each year, earn five national seeds, and advance to five Super Regionals and four College World Series, winning the title in 2003.

As a head coach since 2012, he took Sam Houston, Tulane, and Texas to a combined 11 regionals, four super regionals, and three College World Series. He came to Rice with a 494-271 record in 13 seasons.

This season, the Owls were 4-17 before he took over. They’ve posted a 13-18 record since. Rice will come into San Antonio with a 17-35 record overall, including 10-14 in the AAC.

Hallmark, in his sixth year at UTSA, has led the Roadrunners to a 39-11 record, including 20-4 in the AAC. With one more victory, the Roadrunners will break the program record for victories in a season.

Records

Rice 17-35, 10-14
UTSA 39-11, 20-4

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, Thursday, 6 p.m.
Rice at UTSA, Friday, 6 p.m.
Rice at UTSA, Saturday, 1 p.m.

AAC tournament, at Clearwater, Fla., May 20-25

Notable

Last weekend, UTSA won two of three at East Carolina for its eighth series victory in eight tries in AAC play.

“It was a good weekend for us,” Hallmark said on his weekly zoom call with the media. “You go to ECU and you win two out of three, I think you should be pleased, so we are. Would have liked to have the third one. but we just didn’t close it out. So, a little disappointed in that. But, still a good weekend.”

On May 4 in Tampa, Fla., UTSA clinched a tie for the AAC title with a 3-2 victory over South Florida.

After returning home to San Antonio, UTSA traveled out on the road again and clinched the AAC crown outright in an 8-5 victory over East Carolina last Friday night in Greenville, N.C.

In a Saturday doubleheader, the Roadrunners won their 10th straight game by downing the Pirates, 7-6. But in the second game, East Carolina rallied late with four straight runs over the last two innings to win 8-7.

AAC standings

UTSA 20-4, 39-11
Charlotte 15-9, 31-20
South Florida 14-10, 27-22
Florida Atlantic 13-11, 33-18
Tulane 13-11, 30-21
East Carolina 12-12, 28-23
Rice 10-14, 17-35
Memphis 8-16, 21-30
Wichita State 8-16, 16-34
UAB 7-17, 23-28

x-Top eight qualify for the AAC tournament

Relief pitcher Robert Orloski. UTSA beat Youngstown State 4-3 on James Taussig's walk-off hit on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA relief specialist Robert Orloski earned the save in both victories at East Carolina last weekend. – File photo by Joe Alexander

East Carolina wins 8-7 to deny UTSA its first 40-win season

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Freshman Davin Whitaker laced a two-run single through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday as the East Carolina Pirates beat UTSA, 8-7, denying the Roadrunners their first 40-win season in program history.

UTSA won the opener of the series Friday night, 8-5, to clinch the American Athletic Conference regular-season title outright. The Roadrunners followed with a 7-6 victory in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday for their 10th straight win.

But in the second game, the Pirates scored two runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to avoid the sweep and put a stop to UTSA’s second double-digit win streak of the season.

Earlier in the season, the Roadrunners won 14 in a row. The games were played this weekend in Greenville, N.C., home of the Pirates, who had won five straight AAC regular-season crowns before UTSA seized the title this week.

The second game of Saturday’s doubleheader started with offensive flurries by both teams early and then settled in the middle innings into a pitchers’ duel between UTSA starter Braylon Owens and East Carolina’s Sean Jenkins.

In the eighth, the Roadrunners broke through against Jenkins, scoring two runs — only one of them earned — to take a 7-4 lead. The Pirates retaliated with two runs of their own in the bottom half against the UTSA bullpen.

Walker Barron brought home the first run on a bases-loaded infield single. Braden Burress followed with an RBI single through the right side that brought the Pirates to within 7-6.

In the ninth, with Christian Okerholm on the mound for the Roadrunners, Colby Wallace opened the inning with a single up the middle. Austin Irby then worked an 11-pitch walk to put runners at first and second base.

Ryley Johnson, who hit a first-inning grand slam for East Carolina, put down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third. After the play, Johnson crumpled to the ground with an apparent injury. A few UTSA players helped Johnson take a few steps before East Carolina staff and players aided his exit the rest of the way.

Whitaker, who came to the plate with only eight hits and a .190 batting average, connected on a pitch from Okerholm and drove it up the middle as two runs scored to end the game. UTSA had the infield drawn in with no chance to knock the ball down.

For the Roadrunners, Mason Lytle had three hits, including a double and an RBI. James Taussig produced two hits and two RBI. Norris McClure, Lorenzo Morresi and Juan Maldonado Jr. each had a hit and one RBI apiece. Owens pitched seven innings, yielding four runs on four hits and five walks. He walked five and struck out two.

The winning pitcher was East Carolina’s Lance Williams (2-1). Williams entered as a reliever in the top of the ninth and retired three straight batters with a base runner at first. Okerholm (3-1) was the loser as he worked one and a third innings at the end, yielding three runs on five hits.

Records

UTSA 39-11, 20-4
East Carolina 28-23, 12-12

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, three-game series, Thursday through Saturday
(end of regular season)
AAC tournament, May 20-25, at Clearwater, Fla.
(UTSA will be the No. 1 seed)

Notable

The Roadrunners have won 39 games only two other times in their history. They did it in 1994 (39-18) and again in 2008 (39-19). UTSA will try to break the record next week at home when they host the Rice Owls in a three-game series starting Thursday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.

By taking two of three games from the Pirates, the Roadrunners are now eight for eight in the AAC. So far, they have played eight three-game series and have won them all, including four of them by sweeps.

After sweeping Memphis at home two weeks ago and sweeping South Florida on the road last weekend, UTSA was trying to make it three in a row against East Carolina, only to come up shot by one run.

UTSA ties a program record with 39th win of the season

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners held off the home team East Carolina Pirates in a hectic bottom of the ninth inning Saturday afternoon to win 7-6, claiming their 10th win in a row and their 39th overall to tie a program record for a single season.

With Pirates baserunners at first and second, UTSA reliever Robert Orloski recorded a strikeout to end the game. The 6-foot-4 sophomore from Idaho retired Ryley Johnson, who swung and missed a high fastball.

UTSA claimed the American Athletic Conference title outright Friday night with an 8-5 victory over the Pirates. But as the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader came down to the wire, the Pirates had the upper hand with a two-run lead going into the last inning.

Much to the dismay of fans in Greenville, N.C., the Pirates’ bullpen subsequently melted down with four straight walks to open the top of the ninth.

The fourth free pass brought in a run and pulled the Roadrunners to within one. With the bases still loaded, Mason Lytle doubled down the left field line off reliever Colby Wallace, clearing the bases to put UTSA on top, 6-4.

One out later, Andrew Stucky hit a ball off the end of his bat that squirted through the right side. The RBI single lifted the Roadrunners into a three-run lead.

Trailing 7-4 entering the bottom half of the ninth, the Pirates did not quit. Battling against Orloski, Michael Kalinich and Braden Burress opened the inning with singles. When Drew Downs walked, the bases were filled with East Carolina players — with nobody out.

Over the next few minutes, the Pirates scored two runs, and Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark was ejected from the game following an argument with the home plate umpire.

After Colby Wallace’s RBI single to left field, the Pirates pulled to within 7-6, and the Pirates’ crowd started to cheer and clap. The Roadrunners’ coach had been tossed, and Johnson, who had homered earlier in the game, was at the plate.

Orloski, trying to meet the moment, recovered from being down 2-1 in the count to throw two straight strikes for his seventh save of the season and his second in two days.

Records

UTSA 39-10, 20-3
East Carolina 27-23, 11-12

Coming up

Game 3 of the series and the second game of the doubleheader will be played today.

Notable

UTSA has tied the school record for victories established in 1994 (39-18) and again in 2008 (39-19). The Roadrunners can break the record this afternoon if they can win the series finale against the Pirates.

UTSA clinched the series with its second win against East Carolina in two days, with the third game set for later this afternoon.

As a result, the Roadrunners are now eight for eight in series victories in the American Athletic Conference this season. They have played eight and have won all eight of them. UTSA also won its 10th game in a row and its ninth straight in AAC play.

The Roadrunners won 8-5 Friday night to clinch the AAC regular-season title outright. The win in the series opener also allowed them to claim the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.

UTSA wins the AAC baseball title after surviving a crazy eighth inning at East Carolina

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners have won the American Athletic Conference baseball title outright after holding off the East Carolina Pirates 8-5 Friday night in a chaotic, weather-delayed game in Greenville, N.C.

In winning its ninth straight game to secure its first regular-season conference title in 17 years, UTSA improved to 38-10 overall and to 19-3 in the AAC going into a doubleheader that has been scheduled for the Pirates’ home field on Saturday.

UTSA can tie the program’s single-season record for victories if it can win the first game of the doubleheader. With a sweep, UTSA can break it with what would be the team’s first 40-win season.

The doubleheader was deemed necessary to complete the three-game series after officials elected not to play on Sunday to avoid more issues with the weather. The Pirates, who had won the last five regular-season titles in the American, fell to 27-22 overall and 11-11 in conference.

Coming out of a 35-minute rain delay in the sixth inning with a four-run lead, the Roadrunners broke the game open with three runs in the top of the eighth as Andrew Stucky delivered a three-run double. His shot down the third-base line cleared the bases and gave the Roadrunners what appeared to be a commanding lead.

Going into the bottom half of the eighth, the game took a bizarre turn.

Righthander Rob Orloski, who threw five pitches to get the last out in the seventh, was sent to play left field to start the inning while lefthander Jake Cothran came in to pitch. After the Pirates put two runners on via a hit by pitch and a single, the Roadrunners made another pitching change, with Sam Simmons entering to replace Cothran.

Simmons immediately found trouble, giving up a single to Colby Wallace to load the bases, followed by James Herring’s two-run double to left. When Herring’s ball fell and the two runners crossed, the Pirates had cut the lead to 8-3. All of which prompted UTSA to make a few more changes. Lorenzo Morresi came in to play left and Orloski returned to the mound to try to put out the fire.

The Pirates, however, had other ideas. Pinch hitter John Collins roped a double down the left field line to score two more runs and trim the UTSA lead to 8-5. After Walker Barron singled to put runners at the corners again, Orloski settled down, retiring three straight batters to get out of it. In the bottom of the ninth, Orloski set down three in a row to end the game.

In the end, Zach Royse (8-4) earned the win and Orloski notched his sixth save.

With the victory, the Roadrunners move into their last five games in the regular season just needing to maintain momentum. After playing two at East Carolina on Saturday, they return home to host the Rice Owls for three more, from May 15-17, to close the regular season. UTSA is now the No. 1 seed in the AAC tournament, set for May 20-25 in Clearwater, Fla.

UTSA is hoping, after the dust settles in Clearwater, to have done enough to warrant a bid to the 64-team NCAA tournament. The Roadrunners are on the right track, entering the East Carolina series at No. 20 in the NCAA’s ratings percentage index. UTSA hasn’t played in the NCAA tournament since 2013 when it won the postseason crown in the Western Athletic Conference.

Records

UTSA 38-10, 19-3
East Carolina 27-22, 11-11

Coming up

UTSA at East Carolina, Saturday, doubleheader, first game at 1 p.m.
Second game to follow, 45 minutes after the conclusion of the the first game

Before the weather delay

Needing only one win to clinch the title outright, the Roadrunners took a 5-1 lead on the Pirates only to have the game postponed in the sixth inning on a weather delay.

Trailing 1-0, the Roadrunners started to roll with their explosive offense. In the top of the fifth, with East Carolina starter Ethan Norby cruising, Garrett Gruell led off by slicing a single into right field. James Taussig followed by getting on top of a high fastball and pulling it to right for a two-run homer.

Television announcers called the line drive at 108-mph off the bat.

After that, Norby started to falter. On a 3-2 pitch, he walked Cade Sadler. Then, a pitch got away from him and he hit Nathan Hodge to put runners at first and second. With Mason Lytle stepping up to hit, Sadler strayed off second base, enough to draw a throw to second from catcher Walker Barron. Sadler, on a heads up play, promptly took third base for a steal.

Lytle responded with a line drive that ticked off the glove of third baseman Colby Wallace. It went for an RBI single as Sadler came in to score easily and Hodge advanced to second. After Ty Hodge was retired on a foul ball off to the right side, Andrew Stucky came to bat to set the stage for another key play.

Stucky grounded to the left side, and the Pirates infield turned what was initially called as an inning-ending double play. Upon further review, umpires ruled that Stucky beat the relay throw to first base, which allowed Nathan Hodge to score and make it 4-1.

The Roadrunners scratched another run across in the sixth to make it 5-1. With East Carolina coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth, umpires stopped the game and waved players off the field for a weather delay.

To this point, UTSA starter Zach Royse had held the Pirates to one run on four hits and one walk. Royse had struck out four and had thrown 77 pitches.

Surging UTSA opens three-game series at East Carolina today

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners can clinch the American Athletic Conference regular-season baseball title outright today when they play on the road against the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, N.C.

If they win, they get an added bonus of securing the No. 1 seed in the AAC tournament. UTSA needs only one win in its last six conference games to clinch the top seed.

After extending their winning streak to eight last Sunday at South Florida, the Roadrunners enter the three-game series against East Carolina having claimed at least a tie for the regular-season crown.

It’s the first regular-season title for the Roadrunners since 2008. Sitting at No. 20 in the national ratings percentage index, they’re also hoping to qualify for their first NCAA tournament since 2013.

Friday’s game is expected to feature starting pitchers Zach Royse of UTSA against East Carolina’s Ethan Norby. Royse is 7-4 with a 4.81 earned run average in 67.1 innings pitched. Norby enters 6-4 and 3.39 with 69 innings.

The starters for Saturday and Sunday have not been announced. UTSA closes out the regular season May 15-17 at home against the Rice Owls. The AAC tournament is May 20-25 in Clearwater, Fla.

Led by an explosive offense that’s scored 428 runs in 47 games, the Roadrunners (37-10 overall, 18-3 AAC) have been relentless in punishing their opponents.

Mason Lytle and Jordan Ballin both are hitting .370. Andrew Stucky, James Taussig, Drew Detlefsen and Caden Miller have all produced an OPS above 1.000. In their last 13 games, they’re 12-1, and they’ve scored 147 runs in that span.

East Carolina has had a tough season by its own lofty standards. The Pirates (27-21, 11-10) have reached 40 victories in six straight seasons, including five straight AAC regular-season titles. A few months ago, they started fast in conference, winning three straight at home against Memphis and another three on the road at Rice.

But in the third weekend of conference, they slumped with three straight losses at home against Florida Atlantic. The Pirates have been chasing the leaders ever since.

Records

UTSA 37-10, 18-3
East Carolina 27-21, 11-10

Coming up

UTSA at East Carolina, Friday, 5 p.m.
UTSA at East Carolina, Saturday, 3 p.m.
UTSA at East Carolina, Sunday, noon

Notable

The Pirates have reached the NCAA tournament eight times under 11th-year coach Cliff Godwin. The Pirates have reached the the last six NCAA tournaments that have been played. The tournament, along with most of the season, was scratched in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The Roadrunners, in turn, have produced a more modest record, having played in only three NCAA tournaments (1994, 2005 and 2013). They played their first season in 1992.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark is in his sixth season with the Roadrunners. In three previous seasons, his teams have been highly competitive. They finished tied for third and second in Conference USA in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Last spring, in their first year in the American, they finished second again. Hallmark’s Roadrunners beat the Pirates two out of three last March in San Antonio.

The 2022 team got hot at the end of the season and reached the finals of the C-USA tournament before losing to Louisiana Tech. In both 2023 and 2024, the Roadrunners faltered, losing their first two games in conference tournament play both times.

Hallmark says UTSA players deserve credit for clinching a title share with two weeks to play

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Update: UTSA’s game against the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at UIW, has been canceled due to rain. The Roadrunners (37-10 overall, 18-3 in the American Athletic Conference) are scheduled to play on the road this weekend in a three-game series at East Carolina. The Roadrunners, who have already clinched at least a share of the conference title, will play the Pirates in the AAC series opener on Friday afternoon in Greenville, N.C.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Coach Pat Hallmark’s UTSA Roadrunners have come ever so close to a regular-season championship, finishing in a tie for third, in second place and in second again, respectively, in each of the past three seasons.

The past two seasons have been particularly trying.

Pat Hallmark. UTSA beat A&M-Corpus Christi 4-2 in non-conference baseball on Tuesday, April 15, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Pat Hallmark’s UTSA Roadrunners have won eight games in a row and have swept two straight weekend series in the AAC. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Leading the standings for much of the year and then and coming up short against Dallas Baptist in the 2023 Conference USA race left a sour taste. Same thing last year as the Roadrunners held first place for much of the way before the East Carolina Pirates rallied late to win in UTSA’s first year in the American.

This year, UTSA lost a few star players to the transfer portal, brought in several new faces and learned last December that it had been picked to finish fourth in the American.

At media day, held a few days before the start of the season, Hallmark talked about hoping to be in position to play for the title going into their series at East Carolina.

As it turned out, the Roadrunners surprised outsiders and even their own coaches by putting together a late run to clinch a tie for the AAC’s regular-season title – with two weeks remaining on the schedule.

“It’s very satisfying,” Hallmark said Monday. “We’re not quite where we want to be. I guess technically we could still share it. But we’re in a good position with two weeks left. I certainly didn’t think we’d be here (at this point on the schedule). I’m not surprised we’re in a position to win it.

“I thought we’d have a chance to do that. But this early is a little bit of a surprise.”

Coming off eight straight wins and two AAC weekend series sweeps, the Roadrunners (37-10 overall, 18-3 in conference) lead the Florida Atlantic Owls, the Charlotte 49ers and the South Florida Bulls by six games with six to play.

They’re two wins shy of the school record going into Tuesday afternoon’s non-conference game at Incarnate Word and, on top of that, they can clinch the AAC title outright along with the No. 1 seed in the AAC tournament with a win at East Carolina on Friday.

The conference has told UTSA that it needs only one win its last six conference games to secure the No. 1 seed for the AAC tournament, which runs from May 20-25 in Clearwater, Fla.

“It’s satisfying,” Hallmark said on his weekly media zoom call. “I’m very happy for the players. I can’t overstate that. These guys deserve it.”

Before this season, the Roadrunners hadn’t won a regular-season title since Sherman Corbett’s 2007 and 2008 teams did it in the Southland. Players likely are far from satisfied with their achievement, though, because they ultimately want to have a chance to play in an NCAA regional, as well.

They haven’t reached the NCAA tournament since the Jason Marshall-coached 2013 squad played in the Corvallis (Ore.) Regional.

Coming up

UTSA at Incarnate Word, Tuesday, 2 p.m.
UTSA at East Carolina, Friday, 5 p.m.
UTSA at East Carolina, Saturday, 3 p.m.
UTSA at East Carolina, Sunday, noon
Rice at UTSA, May 15, 6 p.m.
Rice at UTSA, May 16, 6 p.m.
Rice at UTSA, May 17, 1 p.m.
AAC tournament, at Clearwater, Fla., May 20-25

Records

UTSA (American) 37-10, 18-3
Incarnate Word (Southland) 17-30, 3-24

Notable

Incarnate Word hopes to sweep the season series against UTSA when it hosts its crosstown rivals on Tuesday. In the first matchup, Rob Liddington homered twice, doubled and produced six RBI as the Cardinals won 8-5 on March 11 at Roadrunner Field. Gus McKay and Jonah Posey combined to hold UTSA to four earned runs and six hits.

UTSA continues to keep an eye on its standing in the ratings percentage index (RPI), with the Roadrunners being listed on Monday at No. 21 nationally. It’s the highest the team has ascended this season. The RPI is used by the NCAA baseball committee to draw up the 64-team field following all the conference tournaments.