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)