By Jerry Briggs
For The JB Replay

UTSA freshman Diego Diaz from Pharr sparked a five-run first inning, and then the pitching dominated the rest of the way in a 12-0 victory over the Grand Canyon University Lopes on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.

Fischer Kingsbery, Rob Orloski and Cooper Hrbacek combined on the first shutout for the Roadrunners in two years. The Lopes, from the Western Athletic Conference, were limited to four hits.

Kingsbery worked the first two innings and then turned it over to Orloski, a freshman from Idaho, who pitched masterfully through the eighth. In his six innings, he allowed only three hits and two walks. With good command on a fastball and a breaking pitch, he struck out seven. Hrbacek closed in the ninth.

In the bottom of the first, Diaz stroked a two-out, three-run double to left field off Grand Canyon ace Daniel Avitia.

It was the first hit of his UTSA career, and after all three baserunners crossed the plate ahead of him, the Roadrunners had a 5-0 lead. Diaz took third on a throw to the plate on the play and slid in head first safely, bringing UTSA players in the dugout to their feet to cheer him.

Ty Tilson went four for four at the plate for the Roadrunners, of the American Athletic Conference, who had 13 hits in the opener of a three-game series against the Lopes.

Records

Grand Canyon 5-4
UTSA 5-5

Coming up

Grand Canyon at UTSA, Saturday, 2 p.m.
Grand Canyon at UTSA, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Notable

Phoenix-based GCU arrived in San Antonio with five wins, including victories in Arizona against Southern Cal, BYU, Ohio State and Nebraska. UTSA entered the series coming off its biggest win, an 8-7 road victory Tuesday afternoon against the Houston Cougars. UTSA trailed 7-2 in the game and rallied with six straight runs to pull it out.