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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.

UTSA baseball sweeps South Florida and clinches a share of the AAC regular-season title

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners have clinched at least a share of the regular-season title in baseball in the American Athletic Conference. The AAC confirmed the development in a social media post at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Braylon Owens pitched into the ninth inning earlier in the day in leading the Roadrunners to a 3-2 victory and an AAC road sweep of the South Florida Bulls.

Braylon Owens made his first start of the season and allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings. UTSA played Wichita State in the second game of an American Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Roadrunner-Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Braylon Owens pitched 8 and 2/3 innings for the win in UTSA’s 3-2 victory Sunday at South Florida. – File photo by Joe Alexander

With the victory, coming at USF’s home ball park in Tampa, the first-place Roadrunners (37-10 overall, 18-3 AAC) swept a weekend series in the conference for the second week in a row and extended their winning streak to eight games.

In winning its first regular-season title in 17 years, the Pat Hallmark-coached Roadrunners now lead the conference by six games over Florida Atlantic, Charlotte and South Florida, with everyone having six AAC games to play. UTSA owns series victories over each of the three teams. It is the first conference regular-season championship for the Roadrunners since they won the Southland back to back in 2007 and 2008 under Sherman Corbett.

Owens was masterful on Sunday by working 8 and 2/3 innings. He allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and struck out seven.

Carrying a perfect game through five innings, he yielded a solo homer to Jackson Mayo leading off the bottom of the sixth and a two-out, Stewart Puckett RBI single in the ninth.

With Jacob Green at first, pinch running for Puckett, UTSA relief ace Robert Orloski came on to get the last out of the game. South Florida slugger Sebastian Greico, with 14 home runs on the season, flied to right fielder James Taussig to end it.

Lorenzo Morresi hit his first homer of the season to spark the Roadrunners. He and Taussig both had a couple of hits and an RBI to lead a team that had been averaging more than nine runs per game.

Immediately after Mayo gave South Florida the lead in the sixth, UTSA responded. In the top of the seventh, the Roadrunners tied it 1-1 when Morresi led off with a single and then scored from first base when Drew Detlefsen doubled down the left field line.

The Roadrunners added a run in the eighth to take their first lead. Norris McClure led off the inning when he reached first on a hit by pitch from Bulls starting pitcher Jack Nedrow. Taussig, the next batter, tagged a Nedrow fastball and drove it into the gap in left center. McClure scored, sliding in home ahead of the relay throw, to make it 2-1.

In the top of the ninth, Morresi delivered again. He led off with a solo homer to left field and a 3-1 UTSA lead. Undeterred, the Bulls kept battling in the bottom half. With one out, pinch hitter Matt Rose smacked a one-out single off Owens. When Ryan Pruitt grounded to second base for the second out, Rose moved up. Puckett ripped a single to right, bringing in Rose to cut the lead to one.

With Owens having thrown 107 pitches and Greico coming to the plate, UTSA coach Pat Hallmark decided to make a change. He went to Orloski, who promptly retired the leading home run hitter in the AAC on a high fly ball to right.

For the Roadrunners, the series against the Bulls represented an inflection point on their season. Last Friday, the Bulls took the field alone in second place, three games behind the Roadrunners with a chance to make up ground in the title race.

After getting swept, the Bulls’ title hopes have been all but dashed. UTSA now looks ahead to next week, needing one win in its last six conference games to clinch the regular season championship outright and the No. 1 seed in the AAC tournament.

First, the Roadrunners will play their final non-conference game Tuesday afternoon in San Antonio against the University of the Incarnate Word.

Next, the Roadrunners are set to play three against the traditional powerhouse East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, N.C., starting Friday. The defending champion Pirates are out of the race for first place after losing 8-7 at Wichita State Sunday and falling seven games off the pace at 11-10.

UTSA will return home to close out conference play from May 15-17 with three more against the Rice Owls.

Even though the Roadrunners’ regular-season title is significant, they’re also in position to break the school record for victories in a season. The record is 39, set by Corbett’s 2008 team.

Additionally, a larger goal for players and coaches is to qualify for an NCAA tournament berth for the first time since 2013. UTSA can secure an automatic bid with an AAC postseason crown. The Roadrunners, 21st nationally in the latest ratings percentage index (RPI), also could be in the running for an at-large berth in the 64-team field.

Records

UTSA 18-3, 37-10
South Florida 12-9, 24-21

Coming up

UTSA at Incarnate Word (non conference), Tuesday at 2 p.m.
UTSA at East Carolina, Friday through Sunday
Rice at UTSA, May 15-17
(end of regular season)
AAC tournament, at Clearwater, Fla., May 20-25

Notable

UTSA is seven for seven when it comes to winning three-game weekend series in the AAC. They’ve played seven and won them all, including sweeps against Florida Atlantic, Wichita State, Memphis and South Florida.

AAC standings

UTSA 18-3, 37-10
Florida Atlantic 12-9, 31-16
Charlotte 12-9, 27-20
South Florida 12-9, 24-21
East Carolina 11-10, 27-21
Tulane 11-10, 28-20
Rice 8-13, 14-34
UAB 7-14, 23-25
Memphis 7-14, 19-28
Wichita State 7-14, 15-31

Sunday’s scores

UTSA 3, South Florida 2, at Tampa
Charlotte 12, Rice 2, at Houston
Tulane 6, Florida Atlantic 4, at New Orleans
Memphis 2, UAB 1, at Memphis
Wichita State 8, East Carolina 7, at Wichita

UTSA opens five-game lead in conference after holding off South Florida, 9-7

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners held off the South Florida Bulls 9-7 on Saturday in Tampa to clinch a weekend series and open a five-game lead in the American Athletic Conference baseball race with seven to play.

Starter Conor Myles and relievers Christian Okerholm, Jake Cothran and Connor Kelley pitched the Roadrunners (36-10, 17-3) to their seventh straight win.

Okerholm (3-0) earned the victory and Kelley notched the save. Ty Hodge led the Roadrunners with two hits, including a double, and three RBI.

After South Florida fell behind 9-3, Rafael Betancourt and Sebastian Greico hit two-run homers as the Bulls pulled to within the eventual final score.

Kelley pitched the last three and a third innings scoreless as the Roadrunners moved a step closer to what could be their first regular-season conference baseball title since 2008.

The Bulls made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning, advancing baserunners to second and third with two out. With the Bulls needing only a long single to tie the game, Kelley struck out pinch hitter Dawson Mock for the final out.

At the end of the day on Saturday, both Florida Atlantic (12-8, 31-15) and South Florida (12-8, 24-20) were tied for second, trailing UTSA by five games.

Florida Atlantic and Tulane played two in New Orleans on Saturday to make up for a game suspended on Friday night because of weather. FAU won the first game, 16-12, and then rallied for five runs in the eighth to take the second, 10-8.

At the conclusion of Sunday’s action, all teams in the AAC will have two series remaining, three games each on May 9-11 and May 15-17.

After closing out the series against South Florida Sunday, UTSA will play its final non-conference game at the University of the Incarnate Word on Tuesday afternoon, before packing up and traveling again to meet East Carolina on the weekend. UTSA returns to Roadrunner Field for its final three games May 15-17 against the Rice Owls.

The AAC tournament, with the conference’s NCAA automatic bid going to the winner, is set for May 20-25 in Clearwater, Fla. The Roadrunners haven’t played in the NCAA since 2013.

Records

UTSA 17-3, 36-10
South Florida 12-8, 24-20

Coming up

UTSA at South Florida, Sunday, noon
UTSA at Incarnate Word (non conference), Tuesday, 2 p.m.

AAC standings

UTSA 17-3, 36-10
Florida Atlantic 12-8, 31-15
South Florida 12-8, 24-20
East Carolina 11-9, 27-20
Charlotte 11-9, 26-20
Tulane 10-10, 27-20
Rice 8-12, 14-33
UAB 7-13, 23-24
Memphis 6-14, 18-28
Wichita State 6-14, 14-31

Saturday’s scores

UTSA 9, South Florida 7, at Tampa
East Carolina 6, Wichita State 1, at Wichita
Rice 7, Charlotte 6, at Houston
Memphis 12, UAB 10, at Memphis
Florida Atlantic 16, Tulane 12, at New Orleans
Florida Atlantic 10, Tulane 8, at New Orleans

UTSA baseball bolsters title hopes with an 11-5 victory over South Florida

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

First-place UTSA is trying to run away from the rest of the field in the American Athletic Conference.

Freshman Caden Miller slammed a pinch-hit grand slam to highlight a five-run seventh inning Friday night as the Roadrunners rallied to down the South Florida Bulls 11-5 in the opener of a three-game series in Tampa.

Miller, a first-year college player from Madisonville in East Texas, finished the game with five RBI. While the prolific UTSA offense produced 14 hits, starting pitcher Zach Royse (7-4) secured the win and reliever Rob Orloski picked up his fourth save. Orloski worked three innings, allowed no hits and no walks, and struck out three.

With the victory, the Roadrunners (35-10, 16-3) increased their lead to four games with eight to play in the AAC regular season.

UTSA stretched its advantage to four games over South Florida and to five over the Charlotte 49ers, who also lost Friday night, falling to the Rice Owls in Houston. UTSA will play South Florida on Saturday with a chance to win its seventh AAC series in seven tries.

Even though the Roadrunners scored the first run of the game, the Bulls answered with two in the second and two in the third against Royse to take charge. They held the lead for five innings as left-handed starting pitcher Corey Braun kept the AAC’s most explosive offense in check.

Braun struck out 10 and walked one in six and a third innings and left the game in the midst of the seventh with a 5-3 lead, with one out and runners at first and third. As Braun looked on from the dugout, things started to unravel for the home team.

Against hard-throwing righty Landen Yorek from Spring, Texas, UTSA’s Ty Hodge drew a walk to load the bases. Later, with Jordan Ballin at the plate, Yorek continued to struggle, firing a wild pitch that allowed a run to score.

Next, he hit Ballin, just grazing the batter’s elbow, to load the bases. In response, Yorek steadied himself and struck out Norris McClure. One out away from escaping trouble, he sized up the situation as Miller came off the bench to pinch hit.

One of UTSA’s standout first-year players, Miller responded by re-directing a pitch from Yorek on a high arc toward the right field wall. Ultimately, it left the ball park easily, giving the Roadrunners an 8-5 lead.

The Roadrunners tacked on three runs in the ninth to salt away their sixth win in a row and their 35th of the season. The school record for wins in a season is 39. Including a non-conference road test at Incarnate Word next Tuesday, the Roadrunners have nine to play before the AAC tournament.

They’ll play three at East Carolina next weekend, followed by three at home against Rice from May 15-17.

Correction: An earlier version of this story, which was based on running statistics from the game site, mis-identified the winning pitcher. Zach Royse earned his seventh win and Robert Orloski his fourth save, according to statistics posted later on both the UTSA and AAC websites.

Records

UTSA 16-3, 35-10
South Florida 12-7, 24-19

Coming up

UTSA at South Florida, Saturday, 1 p.m.
UTSA at South Florida, Sunday, noon
UTSA at Incarnate Word (non conference), Tuesday, 2 p.m.

Notable

UTSA entered the weekend at No. 26 nationally on the NCAA’s ratings percentage index, or, RPI. South Florida came in at No. 93.

UTSA hasn’t won a regular-season title in baseball in 17 years. The Roadrunners won back-to-back Southland crowns in both 2007 and 2008 under coach Sherman Corbett. Also in 2008, they posted a record of 39-19 for the most wins in a season in school history.

They haven’t played in an NCAA tournament since 2013, when they won the Western Athletic Conference tournament and played in the NCAA Corvallis regional under coach Jason Marshall.

As the Roadrunners played for the first time in Tampa against South Florida, Drew Detlefsen and Hodge both paced the Roadrunners’ offense with three hits apiece. Detlefsen powered a two-run homer to center in the fourth inning to bring UTSA within 4-3. It was Detlefsen’s second homer in as many games and his team-leading 13th of the season. Hodge had two singles and a double and scored twice.

James Taussig’s streak of games with home runs ended at four, but he finished with two hits and two RBI. His single to left brought home the last two runs of the game in UTSA’s three-run ninth.

AAC standings

UTSA 16-3, 35-10
South Florida 12-7, 24-19
Charlotte 11-8, 26-19
FAU 10-8, 29-15
Tulane 10-8, 27-18
East Carolina 10-9, 26-20
UAB 7-12, 23-23
Rice 7-12, 13-33
Wichita State 6-13, 14-30
Memphis 5-14, 17-28