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UTSA Roadrunners say they gave it their ‘best shot’ against the UCLA Bruins

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The greatest season in UTSA Roadrunners’ baseball history has come to a painful end.

After losing Saturday and needing to win twice in two days to stay alive in the NCAA tournament, the Roadrunners couldn’t get it done. They couldn’t deliver with the big hit against excellent pitching on Sunday.

As a result, the 15th-seeded UCLA Bruins downed UTSA 7-0 to sweep two games at the Los Angeles Super Regional, advancing to the Men’s College World Series next week in Omaha, Neb.

“Similar to yesterday, I mostly tip my hat to UCLA, for playing clean baseball,” UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said. “They’ve got a lot of talent. They deserved to win.”

Run-scoring singles by Toussaint Bythewood in the fourth inning and Roch Cholowski in the fifth gave the Bruins a 2-0 cushion. The Bruins added two more runs in the eighth on an infield throwing error and a sacrifice fly by Phoenix Call.

To make matters worse, Roadrunners pitcher Braylon Owens had to exit the game with an injury during the uprising after he was hit with a line drive. In the ninth, the Bruins blew the game open with three runs against Gunnar Brown, who likely would have been the Game 3 starter on Monday if UTSA could have mounted a comeback.

UCLA pitching held UTSA to just four hits on a frustrating afternoon for the offense. The Roadrunners, who had multiple opportunities to score, hit only 1 for 13 with runners on base and 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

“Like coach said, they were playing some clean ball,” UTSA freshman Jordan Ballin said. “They weren’t throwing many balls. They weren’t walking us like they do. Other than that, we gave it our best shot.”

Regardless of setbacks to the Bruins on Saturday (by a score of 5-2) and again on Sunday, the Roadrunners left Jackie Robinson Stadium feeling some satisfaction in becoming the only team in school history to reach the super regional round.

“Obviously unhappy with the result,” said Conor Myles, who started and took the loss in the finale. “But, just happy for the guys, how far we made it. We set records. We broke almost every record that school has. It’s a special group of guys. It really is.”

Finishing with a 47-15 record, they won the American Athletic Conference regular-season title, notched their highest win total in 34 seasons and beat the in-state heavyweight Texas Longhorns three times, including two in the Austin Regional last weekend.

The Longhorns were the second-seeded team in the NCAA tournament, so the Roadrunners arrived in Los Angeles late last week brimming with confidence. They will leave knowing that the Bruins’ pitching and defense, in the end, were just too good to overcome.

“I did not anticipate making a super regional,” Hallmark said “I would be some kind of arrogant sociopath if I did. Which, I hope I’m not. But I did think we had a good team … I thought we had a good chance to win the league. I knew East Carolina lost some people, which was going to help us.

“I knew we had a good team once we got our hands on ’em and saw the athletic ability of (Norris) McClure. I knew (shortstop) Ty Hodge was physical and athletic, because he’s (from) closer to home. I knew we had a good team. But a super regional was above and beyond what I expected, there’s no doubt about that.”

Hallmark said he will always be grateful to have coached this team.

“Again,” the coach continued, “all the credit to the players. It’s all a coach wants. It’s improvement. Buy in. And it just kept coming. Not our best baseball this weekend, but it wasn’t ugly baseball. I really tip my hat to UCLA. When I first watched ’em, I thought … they might have a slight problem in their bullpen.”

Hallmark explained that his initial assessment was only based on how many players Coach John Savage pitched out of the pen.

“Usually the really strong bullpens are two guys who come in and really shove the ball down your throat,” the UTSA coach said. “Credit coach Savage. It’s not a chink. It’s not a hole (in the roster). He just has a lot of parts in that bullpen. And he’s such a great pitching coach. I didn’t realize it until I played ’em, but the bullpen is one of their strengths.”

Starter Landon Stump opened the game on the mound for the Big Ten Conference co-champions and worked four innings. Chris Grothues, Cal Randall, August Souza and Easton Hawk pitched in relief. Grothues (4-1) earned the victory by working two and two thirds innings, holding the Roadrunners hitless and scoreless.

All told, UCLA pitching struck out nine and walked two. Meanwhile, Myles (5-2) took the loss. The Australia native had good stuff but gave up the first two runs of the game and seven hits across four and two thirds innings.

Owens, meanwhile, was charged with two runs on three hits in two and a third. One of the standouts in last week’s Austin Regional exited the game with no outs in the eighth after he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Brennan.

The play started with a baserunner at second. Brennan smashed a pitch right back to the box, and it caromed off Owens and into foul territory.

First baseman Lorenzo Morresi fielded it and flipped it past Owens for a throwing error, allowing the run to score. AJ Salgado, who opened the inning with a double, came around to score.

At that point, it was determined that Owens wouldn’t be able to continue, so he got an emotional hug from Hallmark and then a rousing ovation from UTSA fans in attendance.

Later, Phoenix Call added to UTSA’s misery with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring the second run of the inning and widening the UCLA lead to 4-0. The Bruins added three runs in the ninth to clinch it.

Records

UTSA 47-15
UCLA 47-16

Schedule

UCLA advances to the College World Series, June 13-23, at Omaha, Neb.

Notable

UTSA finished with program records in wins (47) and fewest losses (15). They also had records in runs (528), RBI (487) and hit by pitches (125), according to the school’s information department.

Mason Lytle appeared in his 62nd game, a UTSA single-season record. Myles started his 17th game, tying him for second on the all-time single-season list

Owens reached 100 strikeouts on the season, becoming the second Roadrunner to reach the century mark. He finished second on the single-season leader board behind Karan Patel who fanned 104 in 2019.

UCLA pitching clamped down on UTSA’s three hottest hitters in the last game of the season. The Bruins held McClure, Lytle and James Taussig to a combined 2 for 12 at the plate. McClure and Lytle were one for four and Taussig zero for four.

Taussig, the most outstanding player in the Austin Regional, was held hitless in two games in Los Angeles.

Surprising 47-win UTSA set to play UCLA in the NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional

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UTSA's James Taussig celebrates with the fans after UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Outfielder James Taussig leads UTSA into its first super regional tournament tonight in Los Angeles. The 6-foot-6 rightfielder earned Most Outstanding Player honors last weekend in the Austin Regional. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With confidence stoked by two straight victories last weekend against the seeded-second team in the NCAA tournament, the UTSA Roadrunners will open the Los Angeles Super Regional on Saturday night against the No. 15 UCLA Bruins.

The winner of the best-of-three format will advance to the Men’s College World Series next week. For the 47-win Roadrunners, it is their first trip to the super regional round in 34 years as a program.

They are a surprising team on a roll, having run away with the regular-season title in the American Athletic Conference at 23-4 after being picked to finish fourth.

Entering the first weekend of the tournament, they had never won an NCAA game in three previous trips (0-6) before winning three straight in the Austin Regional against power conference competition.

In Austin, they were seeded second in the four-team field and stormed to the crown behind most outstanding player James Taussig, clutch pitching and team defense.

After beating Kansas State 10-2 in the opener, they moved forward and eliminated host Texas by scores of 9-7 and 7-4.

Texas, ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the season, took the tournament’s No. 2 overall seed into the regional after winning the regular-season title in the Southeastern Conference.

Now, the Roadrunners will try to take down the co-champions in the Big Ten.

Powered by Dick Howser Trophy finalist Roch Cholowski, UCLA shared first place in the newly-formed Big Ten with Oregon, and then swept through three games in the Los Angeles Regional, beating Fresno State, UC Irvine and Arizona State.

The Bruins rolled to regional title by outscoring opponents, 38-14.

Records

UTSA 47-13
UCLA 45-16

Schedule

NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional

(Best of three, at Jackie Robinson Stadium)
UTSA at UCLA, Saturday, 6 p.m.
UTSA at UCLA, Sunday, 2 p.m.
UTSA at UCLA, Monday, TBA (if necessary)

Drew Detlefsen update

Speaking with the media Friday, UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said he didn’t know whether Drew Detlefsen, the team’s home run and RBI leader, would play.

Detlefsen tweaked a hamstring while chasing down a ball in foul territory last Saturday against Texas and had to come out of the game. He did not play Sunday. The UTSA leftfielder has been getting treatment and hitting but has not been running full speed.

The coach said Detlefsen has been hitting well in practice, which is a good sign. At the same time, Hallmark said he has “capable people” to use in his place if he can’t play.

Pitching questions

Senior Zach Royse started and won the opener of the Austin Regional against Kansas State, pitching five and a third innings and allowing only one run on three hits. But Hallmark said he wasn’t ready to name bis starter for the opener in the super regional.

He said he doesn’t know who will start for UCLA, either, though he said the Bruins have started Ian May on the first night of weekend series in the second half of the season. Hallmark said the rotation down the stretch of the season for UCLA was May, Zach Barnett and then Landon Stump.

Hallmark also said Wylan Moss is a possibility.

“He’s been hurt,” the coach said. “He’s back. Really good arm. Freshman … the arm’s really good, really talented. It’s the classic UCLA type big, big pro prospect. So, I wouldn’t be shocked if any one of those four start.”

The coach said UCLA used May out of the bullpen in the regional to give them a left-handed stopper late in the games.

A star at shortstop

Hallmark said UCLA sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowski “might be the best player in the country” and is a “phenomenal” talent,” one that could be taken with the first overall pick in the 2026 draft.

“The kid is a really good baseball player,” Hallmark said. “You’re not going to hold him down for three games.”

Cholowski usually bats second for the Bruins. Batting after him in the three hole is a productive left-side bat in Mulivai Levu.

“Big, physical left-handed hitter,” Hallmark said. “He’s got 85 RBI on the season. Part of it is because Roch’s on base all the time. But, that’s where they start, offensively … those two guys. They’re dangerous.”

Hallmark said UCLA is like UTSA in that they draw walks, they get hit by pitches and they don’t strike out.

As a result, Hallmark told his pitchers, “Be ready to feel like you’re pitching against your teammates. They’re not going to go away easily. They’re going to foul off some tough pitches. They’re going to hang around up there.”

Last team from Texas

UTSA is the last team from the state of Texas remaining in the NCAA baseball tournament. The Roadrunners eliminated the Texas Longhorns in the finals of the Austin Regional. Also in Austin, the Houston Christian Huskies went down with two straight losses. Dallas Baptist was eliminated in the semifinals of the Baton Rouge Regional. TCU lost two straight in the Corvallis Regional.

Once again, UTSA’s Hallmark stresses need for an enhanced baseball stadium

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The ball is rolling downhill for the UTSA baseball program in terms of capturing the attention of its local fan base.

After San Antonio media blanketed the Roadrunners with coverage in last week’s trip to the NCAA Austin Regional, the players responded with a dynamic performance, sweeping to three straight victories, including two over the Texas Longhorns.

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

Sixth-year UTSA coach Pat Hallmark says he’d like to see a plan for an enhanced home stadium so that the program doesn’t fall behind in recruiting. – File photo by Joe Alexander

As a result, a crowd of people turned out on short notice for a welcome-home celebration on Monday.

Another crowd showed up Thursday when the team left Roadrunner Field for a trip to the Los Angeles Super Regional.

So, where is all this going?

Well, in the immediate future, the program is headed west for a best-of-three series against the UCLA Bruins, starting Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Coming out on top won’t be easy.

The Bruins are ranked as the 15th-best team in the tournament, and they have a player in Roch Cholowski who is among four finalists for the Dick Howser Award, college baseball’s version of the Heisman Trophy.

All that aside, UTSA is playing well, too. Correction. They are playing lights out. The Roadrunners beat the No. 2 overall seed in the Longhorns twice last week in Austin. So, they are hot, and they know how to get it done.

Given all that, what else is at stake this weekend for the most ascendant athletic program at UTSA, besides a trip to the Men’s College World Series?

Well, one enticing possibility is that the university decides to move forward with a plan to upgrade Roadrunner Field. Coach Pat Hallmark has been pushing that idea aggressively.

Another possibility is that UTSA continues on its current plan to enhance player training as its next project, without a concrete course of action on an enhanced competition site.

If that is the case, it seems that another baseball program on another campus could approach Hallmark with a better deal, and he might take it.

Why do I say this? Well, for one thing, Hallmark is a hot commodity. One of the hottest in this part of the country. His team is one of 16 remaining in the NCAA tournament.

In addition, he seems to be getting more antsy and more blunt when he discusses the need for a stadium upgrade. Specifically, one with more comforts for the fans.

He talked about it in mid-May with reporters after one of his last regular-season home games. The subject came up again in an interview Monday with radio talk show host Jason Minnix on San Antonio Sports Star, FM 94.1. Most recently, the subject was broached on Friday on the eve of his team’s first game at UCLA.

Asked on a media zoom conference if he could sense how the team has started to attract more and more attention from local fans in the wake of its success in Austin, Hallmark said he probably hasn’t grasped the situation in its entirety just yet.

“It’s a bigger deal than I anticipated, not that I knew we were going to be here,” the coach said. “But I knew we had a good team. I knew we had a shot when we officially got in the regional.”

Hallmark said “a lot of people are reaching out” in terms of fans who came out to Roadrunner Field on Monday and again on Thursday.

“People are pulling me aside, talking about a new stadium,” he said. “I have not heard that from UTSA. I’m not saying that. But I’ve never heard that from anyone, ever, in the city. From (anybody).“

The coach said he thinks people realize now that the program needs a better playing facility.

“What we’re doing this year (on the field) does not have to be an anomaly,” he said. “I’m not ready to say we can do it every single year. But we can do this more than not. This can become the goal every year, instead of some huge deal.

“Like, ‘Oh, my God. Look what we did.’ It doesn’t have to be that,” he said. “So, I’m ready to talk about this stadium as much as anybody wants to talk about it, because I want to stay in San Antonio.”

Asked for specifics on what he wanted on that front, Hallmark said he hopes UTSA officials can come up with a plan “for something” soon.

“I know it’s a huge, huge undertaking,” he said. “But that’s what we need, first and foremost, even above a bigger NIL budget and scholarships.

“You know, (with) baseball scholarships, this is the last year that they’re capped at 11.7 (per team). You’re allowed to have 34 scholarships next year. The NIL collective is a thing.”

But even before addressing those issues, he said his first priority “is and always has been” some kind of facility enhancement.

“It doesn’t have to be the Taj Mahal,” he said. “We need something so we don’t lose recruits and players, just something that says we care about baseball, and we are invested.

“When you, the baseball player at UTSA, overachieves (and) does what you are currently doing, we want to give back to you. That message needs to be sent by the people running UTSA.”

Otherwise, he said, the Roadrunners will lose players to their competition “and we don’t do this anymore.” Meaning, they’ll fall behind in terms of their ability to vie for championships in the years to come.

“If that’s what they want,” the coach said, “that’s what they’re going to get.”

Texas rolls past Kansas State, moves into NCAA Austin Regional title round against UTSA

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The Texas Longhorns will get another shot at the UTSA Roadrunners in the NCAA Austin Regional.

Casey Borba hit a grand slam and a three-run homer in an eight-RBI performance Sunday as the top-seeded Longhorns (44-13) stayed alive in the double-elimination format with a 15-8 victory over the No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats.

Less than 24 hours after they were upended by the second-seeded Roadrunners, 9-7, the Longhorns produced 15 hits against five Kansas State pitchers to eliminate the Wildcats (32-26).

Borba stroked four hits, joining teammate Max Belyeu with first-inning homers. Belyeu started off the six-run first by slicing a two-run homer over the left field wall. Borba followed with a grand slam, an opposite field shot to right.

In the third inning, Borba, a sophomore from Santa Ana, Calif., launched a three-run homer to left.

Ruger Riojas, who played at UTSA the past two seasons, started on the mound for the Longhorns and set career highs in innings pitched (7 and 1/3) and pitches (119). He allowed seven runs on six hits, including three homers.

For the Wildcats, Seth Dardar homered in the first inning, while AJ Evasco heated up late with round-trippers in the seventh and the eighth.

Fourth-seeded Houston Christian (0-2) and Kansas State (1-2) are both out of the tournament. Texas, at 2-1 this weekend, will play 2-0 UTSA in the title round starting tonight.

UTSA (46-13) needs one victory to win the regional. Texas needs to win tonight and again in a winner-take-all game on Monday to advance to the Super Regional round.

Taking a look at UTSA baseball’s season in photos

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Good afternoon, all. As we wait for UTSA baseball’s game at the NCAA Austin Regional, I wanted to share some of Joe Alexander’s file photos from the season. Enjoy.

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

UTSA’s Nathan Hodge, shown here in a game played at home against Rice University, emerged as one of the standouts Saturday night in a 9-7 victory over the Texas Longhorns. Figuring prominently in the Roadrunners’ rally from a five-run deficit, he had two hits and three RBI. Hodge is a freshman from College Station. – File photo by Joe Alexander

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, Nathan’s older, has been an infield fixture at shortstop for the Roadrunners. Ty Hodge is a redshirt junior from College Station. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Mason Lytle. UTSA beat South Florida 5-2 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, May 10, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Mason Lytle, shown here making a play at home against South Florida last season, returned for his senior year and earned American Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors. Lytle is a senior from Houston. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Kendall Dove is 3-0 with a 5.58 earned run average after earning the win in Saturday night’s game against the Texas Longhorns. He’s shown here in a Feb. 26 home game against Oakland (Mich.). Dove is a sophomore from New Caney. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Andrew Stucky. UTSA rallied from an early 5-1 deficit to beat Florida Atlantic 10-7 in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, March 28, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA catcher Andrew Stucky is hitting .331 with a 1.000 OPS. Stucky is a senior from Tucson, Ariz. – File 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

Norris McClure has sparked the Roadrunners with his .350 bating average and his all-out play. He’s shown here sliding head first into home against Rice on May 15. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Biggest win in program history? UTSA stuns top-seeded Texas 9-7 in the NCAA Austin Regional

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Braylon Owens finished the game on the mound for UTSA. UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Senior Braylon Owens closed the game by pitching four innings, allowing only one run on one hit, to help the UTSA Roadrunners beat Texas and advance to the regional finals. UTSA is now just one win away from a berth in the NCAA Super Regional round. – Photo by Joe Alexander

AUSTIN — For at least the past four years, UTSA has had a piece of tape in its locker room in San Antonio imprinted with three letters, ‘JYD.’ The three letters stand for ‘Junk Yard Dogs.’

It’s a message to the players that they can achieve success even under the most extreme, adverse conditions.

The Roadrunners lived up to their burgeoning legend Saturday night, rallying from a five-run deficit to score arguably the biggest victory in program history, a 9-7 shocker over the Texas Longhorns in the NCAA Austin Regional.

Texas entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 national seed, behind only the Vanderbilt Commodores, in the 64-team field. Seeded No. 1 in the regional, the Longhorns rolled in their first game to a 7-1 victory over the No. 4 HCU Huskies.

UTSA's James Taussig celebrates with the fans after UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Outfielder James Taussig celebrates with the fans after second-seeded UTSA beat No. 1 Texas 9-7 on at the Austin Regional. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Most expected them to face a stiffer test in the winners’ bracket against the second-seeded Roadrunners. After all, UTSA won a mid-week game in March at Disch-Falk Field, claiming an 8-7 victory in 12 innings.

But after UTSA knocked off Kansas State 10-2 in its tournament opener, a question loomed about the rematch against Texas. It centered on whether the Roadrunners could win again, in Austin, in a playoff setting, against top-of-the-line pitching.

The answer, in the end, was yes.

A few of the lead dogs in the “JYD” pack, and also one pup, led the way.

Senior slugger James Taussig produced a four-for-four performance and had a couple of RBI, including one on drag bunt single in the ninth inning. Senior Mason Lytle tormented the Longhorns with three hits and some daring base running.

Freshman Nathan Hodge, despite his lack of collegiate experience, had two hits and three RBI.

At the end, senior pitcher Braylon Owens closed the game with four innings of relief. During that stretch, he held the Longhorns to one run on one hit, a long homer by Ryan Galvan in the seventh inning.

Nevertheless, Owens finished in style, shutting down a two-on-base scoring threat in the eighth inning and then working around a walk in the ninth with two strikeouts to end the game.

Owens, from Elgin, about 30 miles east of Austin, said he loves the atmosphere when he plays on the Texas campus. He said he draws energy from the Longhorns’ fans.

“When you have all these Texas fans, like, yelling at you, talking mess to you, I don’t know,” he said. “A lot of people get nervous about that. Me, it makes me excited. Like, I want to make ’em be quiet, prove ’em wrong. So, I’d say that helps a lot, the crowd.”

Taussig, Owens’ good friend and fishing buddy, aided the cause immensely in the ninth inning by his deft handling of the bat. With Lytle at third base, he bunted the ball through the air, just past relief pitcher Dylan Volantis.

Kendall Dove reacts after getting the third out in the bottom of the fifth inning. UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Reliever Kendall Dove (3-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief in the fifth earned the victory. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Playing back, the second baseman had no chance on the ball, either, as it bounced on the infield grass. Consequently, Lytle scored easily from third base to widen UTSA’s lead to the eventual final score. Taussig beat it out for his fourth hit of the day.

The two-run cushion was important entering the Longhorns’ last at bat.

“I wouldn’t say it was easy,” Owens said, “but it definitely, like, made me feel more comfortable and not as anxious, that I have to do this, or I have to do that. It took a little bit of weight off my shoulders.”

When the game ended with Owens striking out Texas slugger Max Belyeu, his teammates rushed out of the dugout and swarmed around him, shouting and celebrating. Owens was stunned. He said he blanked out.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he said.

Immediately, the Roadrunners will need to prepare for Sunday’s championship round, which should be very interesting.

Texas (43-13) and Kansas State (32-25) will play in a losers’ bracket game at 2 p.m. The winner will meet UTSA (46-13) later Sunday. Texas or Kansas State will need to beat UTSA Sunday night and again on Monday to win the regional.

The Roadrunners only need to win once to advance to the NCAA Super Regional round for the first time in program history. The winner of the two-team super regionals, scheduled for next weekend, will earn trips to the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

After Saturday night, little doubt exists now that the Roadrunners could make a run to Omaha. Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle tipped his cap to UTSA and even mentioned that he had heard about the team’s ‘Junk Yard Dog’ credo.

“It feels good,” Owens said. “I mean, all four years, we have a piece of tape in our locker room that says, ‘JYD.’ Now that everybody is starting to know that’s how we see ourselves, it feels good.”

Austin Regional

Sunday’s games

Losers’ bracket – Texas vs. Kansas State, 2 p.m.
Championship round – UTSA vs. Texas or Kansas State, 6 p.m. (or, an hour after the first game)

UTSA's Nathan Hodge (11) scores in the top of the fifth to cut the Texas lead to 6-4. UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Nathan Hodge (11) scores in the top of the fifth to cut the Texas lead to 6-4. Hodge, a freshmen, had two hits and three RBI. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Monday’s game

Championship round, if necessary – UTSA vs. Texas or Kansas State, time TBD

Seeds, records

1 – Texas (43-13)
2 – UTSA (46-13)
3 – Kansas State (32-25)
4 – HCU (32-25)

A Longhorns’ surge

Locked in a tie game with UTSA, Texas sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits in the bottom of the third.

The Longhorns did the damage off both Conor Myles, the Roadrunners’ starting pitcher, and against Connor Kelley, one of their best bullpen arms. Jonah Williams’ two-out, two-run single off Kelley was the big blow for the Longhorns in the inning.

When the dust settled, the Longhorns had a 6-1 lead on the Roadrunners and significant momentum.

The inning started with Myles walking Rylan Galvan. Max Belyeu followed with a single to center. A key play unfolded when Kimble Schuessler ripped a ground ball up the middle that Hodge, playing second base, dove for and gloved. Laid out on the ground, however, he was unable to make a toss to second base for the force, so everyone was safe.

The bases were loaded.

With bullpen arms warming, Myles faced UT’s Adrian Rodriguez, who grounded a ball down the first base line for an out and an RBI. At that point, the Roadrunners made a change. Kelley entered the game and started off well, striking out Jalin Flores on an awkward swing. But after that, Texas got hot and started pounding the ball.

First, Williams, a five-star recruit as a football safety out of Galveston, drilled a hit with pace into right field to bring in two runs. Casey Borba followed by hammering a ball off the base of the left field wall for an RBI double. Adding to UTSA’s woes, Kelley fired a wild pitch, allowing the fifth run to score for a five-run Texas lead.

How the Roadrunners countered

Undeterred, UTSA rallied in the top of the fifth with four runs on three hits and an error. The uprising came against tiring Texas starter Luke Harrison. Hodge delivered a key hit for the Roadrunners in the inning with a two-run single. Taussig added a run-scoring double. After it was over, the Roadrunners had pulled to within 6-5, and fans were on their feet.

Garrett Gruell had a run-scoring hit in the sixth inning. UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Garrett Gruell talks strategy with Coach Pat Hallmark. Gruell belted a run-scoring double in the sixth inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Norris McClure led off the inning with a ground ball that was mishandled at second base. He narrowly beat out the throw to first on a play ruled as an error. From there, Harrison started to falter with his command. He walked Andrew Stucky and hit Caden Miller with a pitch to load the bases. Hodge, a freshman from College Station, rose to the challenge by stroking a ground ball up the middle.

It caromed off lunging shortstop Jalin Flores’ glove and two runs scored. Next, Lytle singled up the middle and one out later, Taussig blasted a double to center that scored one. UTSA had new life, trailing by one run.

Taking the lead

In the top of the sixth, the noise level among UTSA fans increased significantly as the Roadrunners constructed a three-run rally to take their first lead of the game, 8-6. It all started with two out when Harrison gave up a single to Andrew Stucky and Caden Miller walked. Texas changed pitchers in hopes of cutting off the threat, bringing in Thomas Burns.

UTSA immediately lit up the hard-throwing righty for three hits. Hodge whacked a fastball into center field for an RBI single, tying the game. Lytle followed with another run-scoring single, putting UTSA ahead by one run.

On a play that underscored the intensity of the game, Garrett Gruell doubled into the corner to score one run easily, making it 8-6. Just as the relay throw came in to the shortstop, Lytle kept running as he rounded third and sped for home. The throw was on target, and Lytle collided with Galvan, the catcher.

Lytle was called out on a play that went to review and was upheld. At the same time, UTSA had seized the momentum from the NCAA tournament’s second-seeded team.

Mason Lytle and his UTSA teammates celebrate on the field after the final out. UTSA beat Texas 9-7 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Mason Lytle and his UTSA teammates celebrate on the field after the final out. The Roadrunners trailed 6-1 after four innings, rallied into the lead and then held on at the end to win on the home field of the Longhorns. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Kansas State stays alive in the Austin Regional; Wildcats oust the HCU Huskies, 7-4

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Keegan O’Connor’s three-run homer backed the pitching of lefthander Lincoln Sheffield as the third-seeded Kansas State Wildcats stayed alive in the NCAA Austin Regional with a 7-4 victory over the No. 4 HCU Huskies Saturday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

O’Connor’s blast, his 17th home run of the season, highlighted a four-run third inning against HCU starter Joshua Caravalho. Sheffield (7-4) pitched into the seventh inning to earn the victory. He allowed no runs on four hits in six and two thirds.

Caravalho (9-4) took the loss after getting knocked out in three and two thirds.

HCU made it interesting in the ninth inning when Jeremy Rader belted a two-run homer to account for the final score. Radar was playing a day after he had to exit Friday’s game against Texas with an injury.

But with a runner aboard and the potential tying run on deck, Kansas State reliever Tazwell Butler got Tevis Payne on a fly ball to right field to end the game.

Coach Pete Hughes’ Wildcats, who lost their opener Friday night to UTSA, 10-2, will advance in the losers’ bracket to play again on Sunday afternoon. Kansas State, with a 32-25 record, will need to win twice to play on Monday for the regional title.

With the loss, the Huskies became the first team out of four in Austin to be eliminated. They will exit with an 0-2 record in the double-elimination format after riding a 5-0 sweep to the Southland Conference postseason title.

Clay VanderLaan finished his first season as HCU’s head coach at 32-25.

Saturday’s results

Losers’ bracket
Kansas State 7, HCU 4
(HCU is eliminated)

Winners’ bracket
UTSA vs. Texas, 8 p.m.

Seeds, records

1 – Texas (43-12)
2 – UTSA (45-13)
3 – Kansas State (32-25)
4 – HCU (32-25)

Sunday’s schedule

Losers’ bracket
Kansas State vs. TBA, 2 p.m.

Winners’ bracket
Texas or UTSA vs. TBA, an hour after the conclusion of the first game.

UTSA makes history again by winning its first game in the NCAA baseball playoffs

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James Taussig three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig’s three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning helped boost the UTSA Roadrunners to a 10-2 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats on opening day of the NCAA Austin Regional. The win was historic in that the team had never won a game in the NCAA playoffs, going 0-2 each time in three previous trips. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

AUSTIN — UTSA’s dream season just keeps getting more and more surreal by the day. The Roadrunners won the first NCAA playoff game in their 34-year baseball history Friday night by defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 10-2 on opening day of the Austin Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

Norris McClure hit a solo home run in the third inning and James Taussig added a three-run shot over the right field wall in the sixth to back the pitching of Zach Royse and others, who held the Wildcats to more than five runs below their season average.

On top of all that, the team had another, more personal reason to celebrate. Assistant coach Ryan Aguayo took an early Friday morning drive home to be with his wife, who was in labor. She gave birth to the couple’s daughter at about 9:30 a.m.

Later, Aguayo drove back to Austin and was at the game. “I told him, ‘We could run it without you,’ ” UTSA coach Pat Hallmark told reporters. “But he’s here.”

The emotions will continue to swirl within the camp of the second-seeded Roadrunners over the next 24 hours as they prepare to face the host and No. 1-seeded Texas Longhorns on Saturday night.

Norris McClure home run. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Norris McClure energized the team by slashing an opposite-field solo homer in the third inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

First the Wildcats (31-25) will play the HCU Huskies (32-24) in an elimination game Saturday at 2 p.m. First pitch for the Roadrunners (45-13) and the Longhorns (43-12) will be at 8 p.m., with the winner advancing to the regional finals.

Earlier Friday, Texas surged with a five-run fifth inning to down HCU, 7-1, without using any of its front-line pitchers.

Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said lefthander Luke Harrison would “probably” pitch Saturday for the Longhorns, the regular-season champions from the Southeastern Conference and the second-seeded team among 64 in the NCAA field. Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark said in the postgame that he isn’t ready to name his starter yet.

Royse (9-4) answered the call in the program’s first NCAA game in 12 years, earning the victory by working five and a third innings and allowing only one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked three.

Robert Orloski and Christian Okerholm closed in the final three and two thirds innings. Orloski performed erratically at times but ended up getting some important outs. He yielded one run on three hits, walked one and struck out four.

A defining moment for Orloski came in the top of the seventh when he gave up a one-out solo home run to Nick English. At that point, he continued to struggle, walking Shintaro Inoue and giving up a single to Maximus Martin.

Zach Royse was the UTSA starting pitcher. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Starting pitcher Zach Royse (9-4) earned the victory and his coach’s praise for holding the explosive Wildcats to one run and three hits in five and a third innings. – Photo by Joe Alexander

But with runners at first and second base and UTSA leading by five runs, the Idaho native fanned sluggers Seth Dardar and Keegan O’Connor to end the threat. O’Connor had 16 home runs this year and Dardar 12.

Royse, from Katy Cinco Ranch, worked his way out of major trouble in the fourth inning. At the time, the Roadrunners led 2-0, and Kansas State loaded the bases with no outs. The Wildcats ultimately produced only one run out of the situation on a sacrifice fly by freshman AJ Evasco.

Royse retired Kansas State veteran David Bishop on an outfield fly ball to end it.

“Zach Royse was the difference,” Hallmark said. “It’s fantastic. One of the better pitched games of the whole season against a team that can really hit. Obviously the three-run homer was really big, too. I’m just proud of the team. Zach was fabulous.”

UTSA entered the NCAA playoffs coming off a record-setting regular season during which they established a number of firsts. Maybe most importantly, they qualified for the national tournament without even having to win a conference tournament for an automatic bid. They did it by rolling through the regular season, topping 40 wins for the first time, along the way to a 44-win regular season.

In the AAC, they dominated from start to finish, establishing the best record in conference history at 23-4. Even after going 2-2 and getting bounced out of the conference tournament, the Roadrunners would not be denied. Perhaps bolstered by all of it, including wins over Texas A&M and Texas, they beat yet another team from a power conference — in an NCAA setting, no less.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark in the NCAA baseball tournament regional against Kansas State. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark has led the Roadrunners to an NCAA victory for the first time. The win lifted UTSA to 45-13 on the season. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“I’m just so happy for the team and the 29 other guys that suit up every game with us,” Taussig said. “We celebrate for them. Super happy for coach. All of them, coach (Ryan) Aguayo, coach Hallmark, coach (Zach) Butler, they took a chance on me and told me this was the plan. One game isn’t all we had in mind. But you got to start somewhere. I’m just real happy for the team.”

Taussig, one of the team’s hottest offensive players in April and May, credited Aguayo for scouting reports that allow him to swing freely on pitches that he anticipates.

He said he was looking for a changeup elevated in the strike zone from Kansas State reliever Ty Ruhl, who had just entered the game in place of starter Jacob Frost.

“I was looking for the changeup up (in the zone) and I got it first pitch,” he said. “Coach Hallmark always tells us the first pitch is the best one to hit and I was ready to go. I got my best pass off. Controlled what I can control. Bat speed … and I got the results.”

Saturday’s schedule

Losers’ bracket: HCU vs. Kansas State, 2 p.m.
Winners’ bracket: UTSA vs. Texas, 8 p.m.

Seeding, records

1 – Texas (43-12)
2 – UTSA (45-13)
3 – Kansas State (31-25)
4 – HCU (32-24)

Notable

The Texas Longhorns and the UTSA Roadrunners are 1-0 in the double-elimination, Austin Regional. Both the Kansas State Wildcats and the HCU Huskies are 0-1.

Quotable

What does it mean to get the program’s first NCAA victory? Said Coach Pat Hallmark, “I don’t know. I’m trying to get three wins, to be honest with you. That’s what I told the guys when the game ended. I said, ‘Be happy. Enjoy it. Enjoy the moment.’ But we’re here to get three wins.”

Three wins would make the Roadrunners the regional champions. Each of 16 regional champs around the nation will move on next week to play in a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional. The winners of the eight super regionals will advance to the Men’s College World Series.

James Taussig three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig connects on what would be a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig follows through on his home-run swing. – Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. UTSA beat Kansas State 10-2 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in the NCAA baseball tournament Austin Regional. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig reacts when he knows his drive has cleared the wall in right field. It was his 10th homer of the season and his sixth since April 25. – Photo by Joe Alexander

NCAA playoffs: Fifth-inning hit parade lifts Texas over HCU to open Austin Regional

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns started the month of May laying out into a swoon, losing three games at Arkansas and then dropping two of three at home to Florida. After those performances, some of the luster from Coach Jim Schlossnagle’s first season at UT started to fade. But now that the end of the month is near and the NCAA playoffs have begun, the shine has returned to the Longhorns, who are darlings of their fans once again.

Texas, seeded second nationally in the NCAA tournament, erupted for five runs on six hits in the fifth inning Friday afternoon to down the HCU Huskies 7-1 in the opening game of the Austin Regional. A crowd announced at 7,673 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field watched as the Longhorns, seeded first in the region, handled the No 4 Huskies without much problem and moved into a winners’ bracket game Saturday.

In Friday’s second game, the second seeded UTSA Roadrunners and the No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats were set to play at 6 p.m. The UTSA/Kansas State loser will face HCU in Saturday’s opener at 2 p.m. The winner will meet the Longhorns at 8 p.m.

Leading by one run going into the bottom of the fifth, the Longhorns took the opportunity to crank the offense against HCU starter Parker Edwards. Jonah Williams led off by reaching on a fielding error and stole second. On the steal attempt, Williams appeared to hit Huskies second baseman Jeremy Rader feet first. After getting attention from trainers on the field, Rader came out of the game to applause from UT’s fans.

Later, the fans were on their feet for most of the remainder of the inning as the Longhorns stroked five straight hits. The first was a two-run single by Kimble Schuessler. Next, Adrian Rodriguez and Casey Borba followed with RBI singles to center. For Rodriguez, the hit extended his batting streak to 16 games. Will Gasparino brought in the last run of the inning with a double into left field. When Jalin Flores raced from second to home plate, the Longhorns had built a 7-1 lead.

Records

HCU 32-24
Texas 43-12

Saturday’s games

Losers’ bracket: HCU vs. UTSA or Kansas State, 2 p.m.
Winners’ bracket: Texas vs. UTSA or Kansas State, 8 p.m.

Notable

Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said his starter for Saturday is “probably” lefthander Luke Harrison, who is 5-1 with a 2.98 earned run average.

Harrison, a redshirt junior from Friendswood, has held opposing hitters to a .235 average. Schlossnagle was able to get through the first game of the regional without using any of his front-line pitchers. “It gives us the best chance,” the coach said. “It sets us up as good as we can be set up.”

Ethan Walker, Grayson Saunier and Hudson Hamilton combined to limit HCU to one run on eight hits. Saunier, who yielded one run on five hits in three and two thirds innings, earned the victory. He improved to 2-0. Parker Edwards (3-5) was the loser for HCU. He gave up seven runs (only one earned) on seven hits in four and two thirds innings.

HCU actually out-hit Texas, 8-7. HCU second baseman Jeremy Rader was sent for imaging to determine the nature of his injury, apparently to his collar bone, Huskies coach Clay VanderLaan said. “When we get back to the hotel we’ll evaluate and see how he is,” the coach said.

Reaching for new heights: UTSA plays Kansas State in the NCAA tournament

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By Jerry Briggs
Staff writer

AUSTIN – The UTSA Roadrunners were peppered once again Thursday with questions about their breakthrough season.

In response, two of the leaders on the team talked about gratitude in describing how it felt to become only the fourth team in program history to reach the NCAA baseball tournament.

Centerfielder Mason Lytle said it feels good to get it done for teammates like pitcher Braylon Owens, who flanked him during media interviews in advance of the Austin Regional.

Looking for the program’s first NCAA tournament victory, Lytle and Owens and the second-seeded Roadrunners open against the No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats Friday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

“We’re extremely grateful to be here,” Lytle told the assembled media Thursday morning. “We’re grateful to finally be the team to crack through.”

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark, in response to another question, tried to explain how the team eclipsed the 40-win mark with this group, in particular.

He’s had good teams before. So, why this one? How did this team get to 44?

Hallmark started to show some emotion but then caught himself, knowing that maybe it’s time to start focusing on how to win playoff games.

“My thoughts are similar to Mason’s probably,” the coach said. “I’m grateful to be part of it. I’m proud of ‘em.”

Then he added: “I think, uh, it’s time to turn the page. It’s a new season.”

The new season starts at 1 p.m. Friday when the Texas Longhorns take the field against the Houston Christian Huskies. It continues in the nightcap as the Roadrunners play at 6 against the power-hitting Wildcats from the Big 12.

“These people here with us this weekend, these people are really good,” Hallmark said. “It’s going to take the very best of us to win this thing.”

To beat the Wildcats, the Roadrunners will need to pitch well. Starter Zach Royse will need to pitch precisely, because Kansas State hit 92 home runs this year, which ranks 24th in the nation.

Royse yielded three home runs against Tulane in his most recent start. Hallmark, in reviewing the Wildcats’skills in film sessions, said their players swing “off their back leg.”

“I like the way they swing,” he said. “I won’t like the way they swing Friday, because they take a dangerous passes. (But) I think they’re trained well.”

Offensively, UTSA will need to play its game of taking free passes on walks and hit by pitches, and then moving those runners along with clutch hitting.

The Roadrunners will need to be ready for several Wildcats pitchers who throw in the mid-90s, Hallmark said.

“It’s not a surprise,” he said. “They’re a Power 4 team. It’s what you typically see from the Power 4 … The talent’s there. They’re well-coached.”

K-State coach Pete Hughes has won 851 games in his career.

His career began in 1997-98 in San Antonio at Division III Trinity University, where he was 52-30 in two seasons. He went on to coach in Division I at Boston College, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas State.

Hughes, now in his seventh year at K-State, said he admires the way Hallmark works.

“Coach Hallmark is one of the most underrated coaches in the country,” he said. “He’s won wherever they’ve given him the chance to lead. I’ll enjoy watching him coach and coach against him.

“It’ll be my first time coaching against coach Hallmark and a team that’s won 44 games. (They’re) very impressive offensively with a veteran pitching staff.”

Kansas State’s personnel has changed dramatically from last year, when the Wildcats won the Fayetteville Regional.

But K-State reliever JJ Stack, one of the returning players, said some things have not changed.

“From last year to this year, we just kind of stuck with the same philosophy,” he said. “Kept a chip on our shoulder. We try to play with a lot of energy. We like to have fun when we play. So, taking that from last year and putting it on this team is definitely the thing we’re trying to do.”

NCAA Austin Regional

Friday’s games
At UFCU Disch-Falk Field

Fourth-seeded Houston Christian Huskies vs. No. 1 Texas Longhorns, 1 p.m.
No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats vs. second-seeded UTSA Roadrunners, 6 p.m.

Records

Texas (42-12)
UTSA (44-13)
Kansas State (31-24)
Houston Christian (32-23)