
UTSA’s Ruger Riojas apparently is one of only two pitchers in NCAA Division I with as many as 10 victories and seven saves. The other is Nick Wissman of Dayton. – File photo by Joe Alexander
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
UTSA’s Ruger Riojas earned his 10th victory of the season last night in Boca Raton, Fla., when he pitched the Roadrunners to a 3-2 victory in 10 innings against the Florida Atlantic University Owls.
Based on what I see in the NCAA Division I online statistics, Riojas may have joined some exclusive company when he struck out FAU’s John Schroeder to end the game. Apparently, he is now one of only two pitchers in the nation with as many as 10 wins and seven saves.
The other is senior Nick Wissman of the Dayton Flyers. Wissman, from Dayton, Ohio, is 10-1 in the Atlantic 10. Riojas, from Wimberley, Tex., is 10-3 in the American Athletic Conference. Each has seven saves.
Notable
Here is a list from the NCAA Division I statistics of pitchers with 10 or more victories this season. This morning, I cross-checked each one of the 10 pitchers on the list to see how many had seven or more saves. The only two I found were Wissman, a Howser Award semifinalist, and Riojas.
Michael Ross, Samford, 12-0, 0 saves
Carter Gaston, Portland, 11-1, 2 saves
Trey Yesaage, East Carolina, 11-1, 0 saves
Matthew Matthijs, North Carolina, 11-4, 0 saves
Tyler Bremer, UC Santa Barbara, 10-0, 0 saves
Chase Burns, Wake Forest, 10-1, 0 saves
Nick Wissman, Dayton, 10-1, 7 saves
Ryan Johnson, Dallas Baptist, 10-2, 0 saves
AJ Causey, Tennessee, 10-3, 1 save
Ruger Riojas, UTSA, 10-3, 7 saves