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AAC baseball: Surging East Carolina takes a half-game lead on UTSA

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The East Carolina Pirates swept a doubleheader on Saturday and moved into a half-game lead in the American Athletic Conference baseball race over the UTSA Roadrunners.

The ninth-ranked Pirates won 11-7 and 11-4 on their home field to sweep a three-game series from the Wichita State Shockers.

With UTSA preparing to host the UAB Blazers in a series finale in San Antonio on Sunday, here are the updated AAC standings:

American Athletic Conference
Baseball standings

East Carolina 11-4, 31-8
UTSA 10-4, 23-16
Charlotte 8-7, 19-21
Florida Atlantic 7-7, 20-16
South Florida 7-7, 21-18
Wichita State 7-8, 21-20
Tulane 6-8, 21-18
Memphis 6-9, 18-22
UAB 5-9, 17-20
Rice 5-9, 14-25

Baseball: UTSA wins inaugural AAC series against 10th-ranked East Carolina

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By Jerry Briggs
For The JB Replay

Mason Lytle ignited the offense early. Daniel Garza and Ruger Riojas pitched with a purpose at the end. As it turned out, the UTSA Roadrunners claimed a 6-5 victory Sunday over the 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates

In their first weekend of play as a member of the American Athletic Conference, the Roadrunners won two of three off the defending champions. It is the first time in the history of the program that UTSA has won a series against a Top-10 opponent.
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In Game 1 on Friday night, freshman Rob Orloski combined with Riojas to pitch the Roadrunners to a 4-2 victory over East Carolina and All American Trey Yesavage. On Saturday, the Pirates bounced back, winning 14-10 behind a 16-hit attack.

UTSA claimed the rubber match on a cool and cloudy Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field despite four home runs by the hard-hitting visitors from Greenville, N.C.

East Carolina kept pounding away all day with homers by Justin Wilcoxen, Dixon Williams, Joey Berini and Ryan McCrystal.

The Roadrunners took charge early, leading 2-0 after one inning and 4-1 after two as centerfielder Mason Lytle and catcher Broc Parmer led the way.

In the top of the first, Parmer back-handed a ball on a pitch that hit the turf. He came up and threw out Clark Cunningham trying to take second base to end the inning. Later, Lytle ignited the offense with a one-out single and a stolen base.

To cap the bottom of the first, Parmer doubled to left and drove in a run to make it 2-0. Thanks to the pitching and the defense, the Roadrunners would hold on to the lead for the remainder of the afternoon.

A pitching threesome of Ulises Quiroga, Garza and Riojas got the job done. Quiroga started and worked four innings. Though he gave up three runs, he also kept the Roadrunners in the game with a sharp breaking pitch. He struck out four.

Garza entered in the fifth inning and worked into the eighth. Pounding the strike zone and walking none, he seemed to be in full control to all but two batters. Perini touched him for a two-out solo homer in the sixth. Later, McCrystal launched a solo shot of his own to lead off the eighth.

After the McCrystal blast cleared the wall in left and pulled East Carolina to within 6-5, UTSA coach Pat Hallmark called on Riojas, his ace, who threw 41 pitches in a three-inning save Friday night. Riojas promptly registered two strikeouts and induced a ground ball to end it.

In the ninth, the Pirates threatened again when Cunningham delivered a two-out double into the left-center gap. Riojas finished the game by getting Jacob Jenkins-Cowart to bounce a ball to shortstop Matt King, who fired to first for the third out.

Riojas, in all, worked two scoreless innings, allowing only a hit, while striking out two. In the process, he lowered his earned run average to 1.44.

Lytle, a transfer from the University of Oregon, continued his strong play. He finished the game two for four to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and raise his batting average to .371. He stole three bases and scored twice.

Defensively, Lytle made a diving catch in center in the second inning for his second gem of the weekend.

Parmer, one of three newcomers to play catcher for the Roadrunners this season, is making a bid for the lead role. He made multiple stops on pitches that were difficult to handle, including one when the Pirates had a runner at third base. At bat, he finished three for four with two doubles, lifting his average to .358.

Alex Olivo and Zane Spinn also had two hits in the Roadrunners’ 10-hit attack. Olivo delivered an RBI single in the first. Spinn had an RBI double in the second and later scored on a Caleb Hill sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.

Records

East Carolina 16-6, 1-2
UTSA 12-12, 2-1

Coming up

UTSA at Baylor, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
AAC – UTSA at Tulane, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
AAC – UTSA at Tulane, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
AAC – UTSA at Tulane, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Pirates rough up Roadrunners’ pitching in 14-10 victory

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates exploded for 16 hits Saturday afternon en route to a 14-10 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners in the American Athletic Conference.

Tye Odom crushed a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the Roadrunners to within two runs of the lead.

But the Pirates, who had scored six runs of their own in the eighth, answered with two more in the top of the ninth to put the game away.

Reliever Danny Beal shut down UTSA in its last at bat to secure the victory.

With the win, the Pirates rebounded from a 4-2 loss to the Roadrunners Friday night and evened the American Athletic Conference series at one win apiece.

The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.

Records

East Carolina 16-5, 1-1
UTSA 11-12, 1-1

Coming up

Series finale: East Carolina at UTSA, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Baseball: UTSA knocks off 10th-ranked East Carolina, 4-2

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UTSA’s Matt King singles off East Carolina ace Trey Yesavage to drive in Mason Lytle in the first inning. – video by The JB Replay

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With a gusting wind blowing into the hitters’ faces all afternoon and into the evening, the elements seemed to favor the 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates and All-American pitcher Trey Yesavage.

The odds seemed to be stacked heavily against the home-team UTSA Roadrunners in their debut game in the American Athletic Conference.

Rob Orloski. UTSA beat 10th-ranked East Carolina 4-2 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, March 24, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Rob Orloski allowed one run in six innings to earn the victory, improving his record to 3-2 on the season. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Yesavage, after all, came into the AAC opener for both teams undefeated at 4-0, with a 1.20 earned run average.

Undeterred, UTSA played its finest game of the season and defeated Yesavage and the Pirates, 4-2, on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.

“It feels great,” UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said. “You know, their pitcher is really good. I’m impressed (with) and proud of our hitters, on a night the wind’s blowing in. If we won, I thought the score would be 2-1 or 3-2. We didn’t score a ton. But it’s hard to score four runs on that guy with the wind blowing out.”

Two nights after losing 14-13 at Texas State on a night when UTSA walked 11 batters, the Roadrunners’ pitching stood tall against the four-time defending regular-season champions in the AAC.

Freshman Rob Orloski (3-2) pitched six innings for the victory and relief ace Ruger Riojas worked the final three for his second save.

“It’s a great feeling,” Riojas said. “So far since I’ve been here, it’s the best game I’ve been involved with. It’s very motivating to beat what I would say is the best mid-major (team) in the country.”

While Orloski allowed nine hits and one run in his six innings, he was solid in throwing strikes when he needed them. He walked only one and struck out two.

Riojas, in turn, was electric. The sophomore from Wimberley seemed content in throwing fastballs at a team with a .299 average, and he proved successful, allowing only three hits and an unearned run.

Ruger Riojas. UTSA beat 10th-ranked East Carolina 4-2 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, March 24, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA relief ace Ruger Riojas limited East Carolina to three hits and an unearned run in three innings to pick up his second save. – Photo by Joe Alexander

He walked one and struck out four.

The top of the eighth inning yielded high drama for the fans. With the Pirates at bat, trailing by three runs and facing Riojas, they started a rally when Jacob Jenkins-Cowart led off, smashing a ground ball that went through the legs of UTSA second baseman Diego Diaz for an error.

Next, Riojas seemed a little rattled and walked Jacob Starling, putting runners at first and second base with nobody out.

From there, though, the UTSA righthander became extremely tough. Pitching to the next man, Justin Wilcoxen, Riojas threw inside on a pitch that sounded as if it might have hit something just before it zipped into the catcher’s mitt.

The umpire’s call was a ball and not a hit by pitch, so, in response, East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin called for a video review.

The review was lengthy, with Riojas throwing at least five or six times to keep warm, before home plate ump Doug Williams returned and confirmed the original call.

Even with the delay, Riojas seemed unruffled, and he responded by striking out Wilcoxen. Next, he fanned Bristol Carter. Nearly out of the inning, Riojas was stung when Ryan McCrystal fisted one into center for an RBI single, trimming the UTSA lead to 4-2.

Matt King. UTSA beat 10th-ranked East Carolina 4-2 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, March 24, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Shortstop Matt King made all the plays in the field and also went two for three at the plate with an RBI. – Photo by Joe Alexander

With runners still aboard at first and second, Joey Berini stepped into the box and bounced a weak grounder to first for the third out.

In the ninth, Riojas retired the Pirates in order to secure the victory.

Afterward, the sophomore addressed the media and acknowledged that his memory of the details in the game were a bit of a blur.

“I don’t remember much,” Riojas said. “I just remember Rob being on his game. He was executing every pitch and taking advantage of them. He threw amazing. Like, we couldn’t have done this without him, 100 percent.

“Outfield, too. Outfield had a lot of range tonight. I think it was good. Especially with the wind coming in, playing those fly balls. I think they did their part. The infield, they did their job.”

Outfielder Mason Lytle, with two hits, two runs scored and a run-saving catch in center field in the fifth, emerged as another key component in UTSA’s second Top 10 victory at home in the past three seasons.

With a baserunner at third and two outs in the top of the fifth, Carter Cunningham drilled a line drive that started hooking, carrying it away from Lytle, who was running in and veering off to the side.

He left his feet, dove and made the catch while sliding on his chest and stomach, prompting even some of the East Carolina fans to cheer the play.

“Those plays are like home runs,” Hallmark said. “They’re great plays, but people don’t equate them to home runs. Because it takes a run off the board for them. You know, and they’d still be batting. One run would score and they’d still be batting, so it was huge.”

Pat Hallmark. UTSA beat 10th-ranked East Carolina 4-2 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, March 24, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA, under coach Pat Hallmark, has scored two Top 10 victories at home in the past three seasons. The first came in 2022 when the Roadrunners beat the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal, 6-5, in 10 innings. The second came Friday night in a 4-2 win over the 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates. – Photo by Joe Alexander

In 2022, UTSA defeated No. 2 Stanford, 6-5, in 10 innings at Roadrunner Field. This time, in contrast, the victory over East Carolina may have meant more simply because it came in the program’s inaugural game in the AAC.

Also because they beat Yesavage, who is considered one of the top pitching prospects going into the 2024 draft. An ESPN television commentator said he counted 18 pro scouts at the game.

All the attention seemed to motivate the Roadrunners, who nicked him for four runs on eight hits in five innings. The 6-foot-4 righthander from Boyertown, Pa., walked one and struck out five.

The Roadrunners scored one run in the first inning and three more in the third off Yesavage, who seemed to be having problems locating pitches, particularly his breaking ball.

In the first, the East Carolina ace yielded consecutive one-out singles to Lytle, Alex Olivo and Matt King. With runners at first and second, King drilled a ball in the hole between third and shortstop to score Lytle, making it 1-0.

In the third, Lytle and Olivo set the table again, with Lytle smacking a single and Olivo drawing a walk. King executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up, and then Broc Parmer and James Taussig rifled back-to-back RBI singles through the right side of the infield.

With runners at first and third, Tye Odom sacrifice bunted to the right side of the pitcher’s mound, allowing Parmer to score from third to make it 4-0.

East Carolina finally broke through to score off Orloski in the sixth inning, with Bristol Carter supplying the RBI single. Jenkins-Cowart, who started the rally with a leadoff single, came home from third to score the Pirates’ first run.

Records

East Carolina 15-5, 0-1
UTSA 11-11, 1-0

Coming up

Second game of a three-game series, East Carolina at UTSA, Saturday at 2 p.m. The finale is Sunday at 1 p.m. Both at Roadrunner Field on the UTSA campus.

Rob Orloski. UTSA beat 10th-ranked East Carolina 4-2 in American Athletic Conference baseball on Friday, March 24, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

In Rob Orloski’s last two outings as a pitcher, the UTSA freshman from Idaho has allowed two earned runs on 13 hits in 11 innings. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Mason Lytle continues lineage of Houston-area center field talent at UTSA

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Mason Lytle. UTSA beat UT-Arlington 2-1 in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA centerfielder Mason Lytle has contributed with his bat, glove and speed in the first 21 games of the season. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA baseball fans seem to have found another favorite to cheer in center field. Mason Lytle is his name, and while he has played center for the Roadrunners only for a little more than a month, it is arguable that his skills match up with some of the best at the position in the history of the program.

In a breezy interview Thursday, he talked about a number of topics: Among them, an older brother being an inspirational figure when he was a kid learning the game. His background as a ball player from talent-rich Pearland in the Houston area. And a shoulder injury at the University of Oregon last spring that temporarily derailed his career.

Also, Lytle expressed his feelings about a historic weekend looming for the Roadrunners, who play their inaugural American Athletic Conference games at home over the next few days against the 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, “it’s super exciting. We’re getting prepared. We’re working hard. Watching video to get ready. Working hard in the (batting) cages to get our swings right. New conference. New opponents, and they’re ranked pretty high. So, it should be fun. It should be exciting.”

The East Carolina-UTSA series opener is set for 6 tonight at Roadrunner Field. The matchup will continue Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by a Sunday finale starting at 1 p.m.

When Lytle first stepped on the outfield grass for the Roadrunners earlier this season, fans could see his speed and ability to chase down balls in the gap. Also they watched as he put pressure on the defense running out routine grounders and stealing an occasional base.

And, by the way, he is now 9 for 9 in that category.

What has raised eyebrows lately, though, has been his ability to make contact at the plate and then utilize his speed to create havoc for opposing defenders.

Currently, Lytle (.359 average, .576 slugging percentage) is riding a seven-game hitting streak and has recorded multiple hits in his last four games.

“Mason has stepped up,” UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said. “Plays really good defense. From a talent standpoint, I knew he belonged on the field. I didn’t expect he’d hit this (well). To hit .350 (is not easy) and he’s done it.

“He’s hitting in the clutch a little bit, too, which is nice to see, and he runs the bases well.”

With Caleb Hill on an even greater tear and making contact with the ball at a high level at the top of the batting order, Hallmark has used Lytle anywhere from second to fifth recently.

The two also complement one another in the outfield, with Hill in left and Lytle in center.

“It’s hard to find that at the mid-major level, a guy that can defend, that can hit for a little power and can steal a base,” Hallmark said. “Those two guys can do all that. We’re very excited to have ’em.”

At UTSA, fans have had the good fortune to see some talented centerfielders. Many of them, like Lytle, have come from the Houston area.

Michael Rockett, for instance, and his younger brother, Daniel Rockett. From the late-2000s to the early 2010s, one or the other routinely would run down balls hit into the gap. Most recently, Shane Sirdashney from The Woodlands.

He, too, could hit for average and power and could do just about everything.

Last weekend, at home against Northwestern, Lytle continued the show for UTSA fans. He hit eight for 11 at the plate and rang up 17 total bases.

Lytle also hit an inside the park home run. The ball caromed off the batter’s eye in center field, and by the time it was retrieved, he had a full head of steam that allowed him to score.

Last time he hit an inside-the-park four-bagger?

“I actually had two at San Jac, in the same weekend,” he said, smiling, referring to his three-year run at San Jacinto College through 2022.

Lytle said he’s been working with coaches on getting back to basics with his swing.

“Not thinking too much, simplifying the swing. Getting the foot down. Seeing the ball. Back to the roots,” he said. “It’s been paying off. It’s been working.”

Defensively, the UTSA outfield is in good shape at the moment, with Hill in left, Lytle in center and Tye Odom, recently returning to form after an injury, playing in right.

“It’s nice to have three centerfielders out there in the outfield playing, at all three positions,” Lytle said. “We’re all quick. We’re all fast. We can all get to any ball. It’s nice to be able to trust the left fielder and the right fielder. It works good.

“I think our pitchers are happy we’re all out there.”

If not for a shoulder injury that cut short Lytle’s one and only season at Oregon around this time last year, he might not be at UTSA.

“I got surgery, the season was ending (for me),” he said. “The team was good. It was a fun team to be around. But it just didn’t work out in my favor. Ended up here. Couldn’t be … happier.”

Lytle’s hometown of Pearland is synonymous with the game of baseball. Former major leaguers Clay Hensley, Robbie Weinhardt, Craig Smajstrla, Jeff DeWillis and Kirk Dressendorfer all played in the area just south of Hobby Airport.

“It’s where my family grew up,” Lytle said. “It’s nice to have those roots there. A lot of baseball talent coming out of there. Especially right now, they’re pretty good. One of the top (high school) teams in the nation. It was good to be surrounded by some other good ball players. Helped me grow tremendously.”

When UTSA’s current centerfielder was growing up, his older brother, Hunter Lytle, was the man.

“My older brother played sports,” he said. “He was pretty athletic. He didn’t play as far as I did. But, he definitely had the talent. He was good, and he pushed me to my limits.”

Lytle acknowledged that his brother attended Texas State University, UTSA’s I-35 rival in athletics, with a particularly heated rivalry in baseball. Texas State on Tuesday night knocked off UTSA 14-13, a game in which Mason Lytle had three hits.

Reporters at Thursday’s media day didn’t even have to ask whether the older brother supported his younger brother’s team a few nights ago, or his own alma mater.

“He he was rooting for us,” Mason Lytle said.

As for how the Roadrunners keep coming up with high-caliber center field talent out of the Houston area, Hallmark said he hadn’t thought about it in those teams.

The Rockett brothers were recruited under a previous UTSA coaching staff into an area where their uncle, former Atlanta Braves shortstop Pat Rockett, grew up and attended high school. In Sirdashney’s case, Hallmark brought him to San Antonio, first to the University of the Incarnate Word and then to UTSA.

Lytle thought about the Houston connection and his own place in the lineage and said simply, “It’s a blessing to be out here and filling those shoes.”

Coming up

East Carolina at UTSA, Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m.

Records

East Carolina 15-4
UTSA 10-11

East Carolina pitching to test UTSA’s hot hitters this weekend

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA, playing its inaugural weekend series as a member of the American Athletic Conference, will face one of the top teams in the nation Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Roadrunner Field.

The Roadrunners (10-11) will host the 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates (15-4) in a series that promises some intriguing matchups.

For the Pirates, they placed six players on the AAC’s preseason all-conference team, including three pitchers in junior Trey Yesavage, sophomore Zach Root and senior bullpen ace Danny Beal.

Those three players lead a staff that ranks first in the conference in ERA at 3.60. The Roadrunners will counter with the No. 1 squad in batting average.

Paced by Caleb Hill, Mason Lytle and Alex Olivo, UTSA was hitting .302 to lead the American before stroking 14 hits and four homers Tuesday night at Texas State.

Yesavage is rated as one of the top pitchers going into the 2024 draft. UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said Thursday that the 6-foot-4 righthander throws four pitches, including a 93-to-97 mph fastball.

“It’s every bit of 93 to 97 mph,” Hallmark said. “Four pitches. Two different breaking balls. He can throw the righthanders a lot of sliders. He’s going to throw the lefthanders a lot o changeups. He’ll mix in some curveballs to both sides.”

Yesavage, from Boyertown, Pa., could be one of the most highly-regarded prospects that UTSA fans have ever seen.

“He’s the real deal,” Hallmark said. “Everything I read and everything I see, he’s a first-round draft pick. If he stays healthy he’ll probably pitch in the big leagues one day.”

Baseball: Roadrunners to open AAC play against the defending champion East Carolina Pirates

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Caleb Hill scores in the seventh inning on a hit by Matt King. UTSA scored four runs in the seventh inning to rally past Rice 9-7 in Conference USA baseball on Friday, May 5, 2023, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Caleb Hill and the UTSA Roadrunners will test the nationally-ranked East Carolina Pirates in a three-game series starting Friday at Roadrunner Field. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Defeated 14-13 on the road at Texas State on Tuesday night, the UTSA Roadrunners will prepare in the next few days for their historic first game in the American Athletic Conference. They’ll play Friday night at home against the 11th-ranked East Carolina Pirates.

East Carolina (15-4) will arrive at Roadrunner Field for a three-game series as the most accomplished baseball program in the AAC. The Greenville, N.C.-based Pirates have won four straight AAC regular-season championships.

Led by 10th-year coach Cliff Godwin, East Carolina has qualified for five straight NCAA tournaments, playing in the national event every year since 2018. During their streak, they stayed home only in 2020 when most of the season and the tournament was canceled because of the pandemic.

In the final analysis, the Roadrunners will have their hands full as they play their inaugural AAC weekend series following 10 seasons in Conference USA. While the Pirates have won eight straight games, the Roadrunners (10-11) have struggled to find consistency.

Matched against certain teams, their pitching has been vulnerable. Texas State, for instance, sent 16 batters to the plate and scored nine runs in the first inning Tuesday night in San Marcos. Roadrunners pitching walked 11 batters against the Bobcats.

The Roadrunners’ offense, in turn, always seems to give them a chance. Trailing by five runs after the first inning and by six runs after the third against the Bobcats, they battled back with 14 hits, including four home runs.

Tye Odom, Caleb Hill and Matt King sent balls over the fence in the second inning and freshman Diego Diaz added another in the ninth. A two-run blast by Diaz pulled the Roadrunners to within one run before the Bobcats shut down the rally.

Hill leads with a .419 batting average and seven home runs. Lytle, a transfer from Oregon, has made a major impact in his first season. Outside of starting in center field and leading the team in stolen bases with nine, he ranks among the team’s leaders in average (.359), home runs (four) and RBIs (19).

As a team, they’re hitting .305.

Records

East Carolina 15-4
UTSA 10-11

Notable

The Pirates are ranked 11th in the nation by D1 Baseball and 12th by Baseball America. Pirates pitcher Trey Yesavage is the No. 36 prospect for the 2024 MLB draft, according to MLB.com. This season, the 6-foot-4 righthander, a second-team All-American last year, is 4-0 with a 1.20 earned run average. He has struck out 49 and walked nine in 30 innings.

East Carolina rallies late to down UTSA in AAC semifinals

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Frustrated for most of the game by poor shooting, the ninth-seeded East Carolina Pirates rallied behind guard Danae McNeal in the fourth quarter to stun the No. 4 UTSA Roadrunners 55-54 in the American Athletic Conference tournament semifinals.

UTSA led by 11 points twice early in the fourth period in its quest to reach the AAC finals in its first year in the conference. But, with McNeal taking over late, East Carolina came back to claim a most improbable victory.

Roadrunners coach Karen Aston said she remains “super proud” of her team despite the loss.

“It’s always, I think, hard to describe what that type of loss feels like for your team,” Aston said. “You feel as a coach responsible, first of all, and heartbroken for them.

“I thought they played really, really good. In particular, the first half, I thought our defense was spectacular, and then I thought they settled in, inside. I thought they started to get a presence in the paint in the second half and we struggled with that.

“Then it just boils down to a five-minute game that we made a couple of turnovers, and then we just didn’t get stops when we needed to. I didn’t think either team was great offensively. We just couldn’t get the stops that we needed at the end of the game.

“Again, heartbreaking.”

For most of the game, held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, the Pirates seemingly couldn’t hit a shot.

In the second quarter, for instance, they were 3 for 14, as the Roadrunners built a nine-point halftime advantage. As the game went on, East Carolina continued to struggle, with the Pirates trailing by nine at the end of three periods.

With 8:27 left in the game, UTSA took a 45-34 lead when forward Jordyn Jenkins connected on a layup. From there, East Carolina started to mount the comeback. McNeal scored nine points down the stretch, including a go-ahead jumper with 39 seconds remaining.

Setting the stage for McNeal’s clutch offensive play, the Roadrunners had the ball on the side, inbounding, with a one-point lead. But they were called for five seconds, with the turnover giving the Pirates possession.

In response, McNeal brought it up and elevated at free-throw line, burying the jumper for a 53-52 lead. The Pirates never trailed again. At the end, McNeal missed a couple of free throws, giving UTSA one last chance.

Roadrunners guard Aysia Proctor retrieved the ball, weaved through traffic and missed a heave from half court to end the game.

Records

East Carolina 19-13
UTSA 17-14

Coming up

East Carolina will play for the AAC title and the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament Wednesday night. Game time is at 6 p.m. at Dickies Arena. The Pirates will face either the Rice Owls or the Temple Owls. For UTSA, the season might not be over. A chance exists that the Roadrunners could play in another tournament.

Notable

Center Amiya Joyner led the Pirates with 15 points and 13 rebounds. She had four points, three rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal in the fourth period. Khia Miller also had a key bucket in the late run and finished with 14 points. McNeal, a first-team, all-AAC player, finished with 11 points on 4 of 18 shooting.

For the Roadrunners, Jenkins led the team with 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting. Sidney Love scored 10 and Kyra White and Cheyenne Rowe nine apiece. UTSA shot 35 percent from the field for the game. In the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners were 6 of 17 from the field and committed six turnovers.

Quotable

“It’s hard. We had plans to play tomorrow, and we were all playing for our seniors and playing for ourselves, and it’s a tough outcome and it’s just one of those things that we can’t get back. It’s probably going to stick with us. I know it’s going to stick with me for a little bit, but I’m proud of the team and I’m proud of everybody.” – UTSA’s Jordyn Jenkins

First half

Rowe played only three minutes and went scoreless in UTSA’s American conference quarterfinal victory Monday night against South Florida. One night later, Rowe emerged to take over the game in the second period.

The 6-foot-2 reserve forward went three for three from the field for seven points in the half. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners settled down after a shaky start, played a solid second quarter and went into the dressing room leading the Pirates, 25-16, in the AAC semifinals.

In the early going, the Roadrunners played with some nerves. They turned the ball over three times in the first five minutes. Fortunately for them, the Pirates failed to take advantage. Their shooting was off from the start. UTSA utilized a late burst to take an 11-10 edge after one quarter.

As the second period started, UTSA had settled itself down and found a rhythm. Guard Kyra White nailed two three-pointers. Coach Karen Aston dipped deep into her bench, particularly in the frontc0ourt, and brought in Rowe and 6-foot-4 Nissa Sam-Grant.

Rowe responded with a burst that allowed UTSA to open up a lead. Moving around under the bucket, she would find an open space, receive a pass from the perimeter and take it up strong to score. Defensively, UTSA played well. Fortunately for the Roadrunners, the Pirates weren’t shooting it very well, either. As a result, ECU hit only 3 of 14 in the second quarter and 7 of 31 for the half.

Third quarter

As East Carolina continued to struggle on the offensive end, UTSA took advantage of the situation and kept its lead at eight four minutes into the third period. Sidney Love, who hasn’t looked to score much in Fort Worth, made an aggressive play that seemed to catch the Pirates off guard. Love took it inside and scored a layup, drew a foul and hit the free throw for a 31-23 Roadrunners lead.

Pushing back, the Pirates started to make a move. Amiya Joyner hit a couple of baskets and a free throws. East Carolina pulled to within three.

But the Roadrunners weren’t finished yet, either. Jordyn Jenkins started to heat up. First, she worked inside, scored and drew a foul. Jenkins completed the three-point play. Next, she took it inside again, got fouled and converted two more free throws. She finished the quarter with five points to give her nine for the game.

UTSA took a 41-32 lead into the fourth quarter.

Pre-game

On Jan. 2, East Carolina walloped UTSA, 82-54. In the game played at Greenvlle, N.C., the Pirates scored 31 points off 29 UTSA turnovers, handing the Roadrunners their worst loss of the season. Saddled with an 0-2 record in conference at the time, UTSA didn’t flinch. The team rallied to win 10 of its last 16 in conference to finish 10-8, pulling down the No. 4 seed in the AAC tournament.

East Carolina finished 9-9 in conference and entered the postseason as the ninth seed. The Pirates beat the Memphis Tigers 65-63 on Sunday and downed the top-seeded Tulsa Golden Hurricane 75-71 on Monday to reach the semifinals. With the double bye, UTSA opened tournament play Monday. The Roadrunners rallied in the fourth quarter Monday to edge fifth-seeded South Florida, 58-56.

East Carolina rides early surge to an 84-73 victory over UTSA

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PJ Carter. East Carolina beat UTSA 84-73 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Guard PJ Carter scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half during a UTSA rally that fell short in an 84-73 loss to the East Carolina Pirates. – Photo by Joe Alexancer

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The East Carolina Pirates showed up at the UTSA Convocation Center Saturday wearing T-shirts in warmups with three letters across the front — GPM. The acronym represented the team’s mantra for a ‘Game Point Mentality.’ In other words, play every play as if it will determine the outcome of the game.

Bringing an aggressive mentality from the start, the Pirates built a 23-point halftime lead and then held off the Roadrunners 84-73 in the American Athletic Conference. Forward Brandon Johnson made seven three-pointers and scored a season high 30 points to lead the third victory for East Carolina (12-12, 5-6) in its last five games.

Sinking deeper into a hole in the AAC standings, UTSA (8-16, 2-9) lost its fourth straight game while dropping to 3-12 in its last 15. The Roadrunners had problems in giving up three pointers (13), offensive rebounds (16) and also in allowing the Pirates to capitalize on mistakes. East Carolina outscored UTSA 18-6 in points off turnovers.

East Carolina coach Michael Schwartz. East Carolina beat UTSA 84-73 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

East Carolina coach Michael Schwartz worked at UTSA in the 2004-05 season as an assistant coach under Tim Carter. – photo by Joe Alexander

The Roadrunners turned it over only 12 times, but each time, it seemed that the Pirates would capitalize with a breakout or an easy look at the basket.

For second-year East Carolina coach Michael Schwartz, it was not only a big win for his program, but also a homecoming of sorts. Schwartz, who played a bit part as a player in the Texas Longhorns’ 1999 Big 12 regular-season title under Rick Barnes, snagged his first full-time assistant coaching job in 2004 at UTSA under former Roadrunners coach Tim Carter.

He worked one season (2004-05) under Carter with the Roadrunners in the Southland Conference.

“I was a video coordinator at Texas,” he recalled. “I spent two years at Texas and a year at Long Beach State, and then I came back to UT for two years. (Then) coach Carter gave me my first opportunity to be a full-time assistant. So I will always be indebted to him. I love him. I think he’s an incredible human being, husband and father. I learned so much from him.

“I just have great respect for him and I’m very thankful to him.”

It was a surprise for Schwartz when he came out on the floor for tipoff and saw Carter seated at the press table in his headset, preparing to do commentary on the UTSA radio broadcast. “We stay in contact, but I did not realize (he worked the games),” Schwartz said. “I saw him before the game, and I’m looking forward to saying goodbye to him before I leave.”

The other major surprise for Schwartz centered on his team’s three-point shooting. The Pirates made four of their first five shots from the field — all threes. A few were more than a few steps behind the arc. As the shots continued to fall, East Carolina gained confidence. The Pirates finished nine of 19 from behind the arc in the half, as they took a 48-25 lead.

Jordan Ivy-Curry. East Carolina beat UTSA 84-73 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Jordan Ivy-Curry scored 14 points on six of 11 shooting from the field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“It means a lot for any team, home or away,” Schwartz said. “But it really meant a lot for us because we had struggled shooting the basketball, particularly the last four games. We won a couple of the games, in rock fights (with) scores in the 50s and the game with Temple, when we got 70, but it was in overtime. But, we had really struggled on offense.”

One other factor might have tilted the game to the Pirates, and that was preparation. East Carolina last played seven days ago at Charlotte. After losing 67-52 last Saturday, the Pirates had a short trip home to Greenville, N.C., and then had all week to work, to rest and to work some more. UTSA, meanwhile, had a long couple of days travel to Kansas where the Roadrunners lost on Wednesday night to Wichita State, 84-64.

After a long trip home and with less than two days to prepare, the Roadrunners just came out flat.

“Just really a disappointing start,” UTSA coach Steve Henson said. “They came out, I think, and knocked down four straight three pointers on us. Dug ourselves a hole again. (We) withstood that run and then they put another one on us. We just weren’t good enough in the first half, on either end of the floor … Johnson was terrific. (He) made tough threes, (grabbed) offensive rebounds.

“He was fantastic. But there was more to it than that. Their offensive rebounding was huge. They scored in the paint and they made 13 three pointers.”

Adante' Holiman. East Carolina beat UTSA 84-73 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Roadrunners guard Adante’ Holiman moved into the starting lineup and finished with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Jordan Ivy-Curry led the Roadrunners with 14 points, followed by PJ Carter with 12 and Adante’ Holiman with 11. In the first half, the offense was so sporadic, it seemed that the team would go a minute or two without even getting a good look at the basket. Part of that was East Carolina’s defense on Ivy-Curry, UTSA’s best offensive player, who was swarmed each time he touched it.

Ivy-Curry took only three shots in the opening half and made two. He finished the game six of 11 from the field and one of four from three.

Even though the Roadrunners are struggling, they do have seven games left in the regular season, which is ample time to find some chemistry, get hot and prepare for the AAC tournament in Fort Worth. PJ Carter said he and his teammates have a big week coming up with a trip to Charlotte and Temple. They don’t play at home again until Feb. 21 against South Florida.

“We got to just move on to the next opponent, because this is an important stretch for us,” Carter said. “We’re not going to be home for (awhile). As a unit, we have to buy in in practices. Stick close together.”

First half

East Carolina played one of its best halves of the season, shooting 55 percent from the field, in rolling to a 48-25 lead against UTSA.

Forward Brandon Johnson led the charge with 21 points. Johnson made five of the Pirates’ nine three-point baskets. In one stretch, he knocked down three from long distance in three possessions to spark a 15-0 run late in the half.

Records

East Carolina 12-12, 5-6
UTSA 8-16, 2-9

Coming up

UTSA at Charlotte, Thursday, 6 p.m.

It was a special day on Saturday at the Convocation Center. After the State of Texas Senate and House of Representatives issued a resolution proclaiming February 10 as “UTSA 210 Day,” fans gathered in the parking lot for a tailgate. An announced crowd of 1,535 attended an afternoon men’s basketball game.

The day is regarded as a celebration of the strong bond between UTSA athletics and the City of San Antonio.

UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos presented the resolution at halftime. The resolution was signed by State Sen. José Menéndez (District 26) and State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (District 116).

East Carolina forward Brandon Johnson gets loose for a breakout and a dunk against UTSA on Saturday afternoon.

East Carolina women open their AAC schedule with an 82-54 victory over UTSA

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The East Carolina Pirates, a proud team that reached the NCAA tournament last year out of the American Athletic Conference, lost by 37 points at home last weekend. The loss came at the hands of the nation’s No. 1-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks.

As a result, the Pirates wanted to make amends Tuesday night, and they did so by rolling in their AAC opener to an 82-54 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners. Karina Gordon scored 22 points and Danae McNeal added 20 for the Pirates (8-4, 1-0).

Gordon, a freshman from Hallandale Beach, Fla., hit six of nine shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

Missing a couple of key players, the Roadrunners (6-7, 0-2) never could get their game untracked at the Minges Coliseum, the home of the Pirates in Greenville, N.C. They had the game tied 8-8 early, but they watched as the Pirates made a blizzard or three pointers early and were no match for the home team.

UTSA was without senior forward Jordyn Jenkins and freshman guard Aysia Proctor. Guard Madison Cockrell led the Roadrunners with 13 points. Center Elyssa Coleman chipped in with 11.

Records

East Carolina 8-4, 1-0
UTSA 6-7, 0-2

Coming up

Wichita State at UTSA, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Third quarter

East Carolina continued to dominate defensively in the period, holding UTSA to 12 points. As a result, the Pirates cruised to a 62-36 lead after three quarters. McNeal imposed her will in the period with nine points, three assists and a steal for the Pirates.

The Roadrunners kept the Pirates off the scoreboard for much of the quarter but couldn’t score offensively. Consequently, the Roadrunners fell behind by as many as 27 with a little more than two minutes to go.

Halftime

Gordon scored 17 points and added 11 as the East Carolina Pirates took a commending 45-24 lead on the Roadrunners at halftime.

Gordon knocked down five of East Carolina’s eight first-half 3-pointers. In all, she was five of nine from the field and five of seven from distance.

McNeal contributed on both ends, producing five steals and a block to complement her three of eight shooting on the offensive end.

The Pirates led by as many as 25 points at 41-16 with 3:36 remaining in the second quarter.

Playing without star forward Jordyn Jenkins and freshman guard Aysia Proctor, the Roadrunners didn’t have the firepower to match the Pirates.

East Carolina limited UTSA to nine of 33 shooting from the field and forced 16 turnovers. Elyssa Coleman led the Roadrunners with five points. Hailey Atwood and Idara Udo had four apiece.

First quarter

The Pirates hit five three-pointers in the quarter and constructed a 14-4 run in the final five minutes to take a 25-13 lead.

Guard Karina Gordon knocked down three 3-points for the Pirates. Danae McNeal contributed on the defensive end with three steals. Both Gordon and McNeal finished the period with nine points.

UTSA had a tough time getting anything going, committing 10 turnovers and shooting 5 of 16 from the floor. Idara Udo had four points and three rebounds.

Notable

It’s been a long four days for UTSA in its first foray into the AAC.

In the team’s opener, the Roadrunners traveled to Philadelphia to play at Temple on Saturday afternoon. UTSA played the home team on even terms for three quarters. But soon after they rallied to lead by two early in the fourth quarter, they watched as the Owls went on a 20-5 run to the buzzer, claiming a 71-58 victory.

Afterward, the Roadrunners returned home and practiced Sunday, on New Year’s Eve, in San Antonio. They took a flight on Monday to North Carolina to get ready to play the Pirates, who won the AAC postseason title last year and played in the NCAA tournament.

UTSA played East Carolina without two of its top offensive players. Jenkins (knee) hasn’t played this season. In addition, the Roadrunners took the floor in Greenville without freshman guard Aysia Proctor. Proctor suffered an injury that required a trainer’s attention during Sunday’s practice.