Tag Archives: Pat Hallmark

Zach Royse strikes out nine as UTSA run-rules Memphis, 12-2

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Zach Royse. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Zach Royse pitched six innings and allowed only a run on four hits against Memphis. He struck out nine and walked two. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After UTSA dismantled the Memphis Tigers 12-2 in a seven-inning, run-rule decision Friday night, pitching seemed to be top of mind for Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark. Particularly, the work of starter Zach Royse, who yielded one run and struck out nine in six easy-going innings.

“Royse has had a very good year,” Hallmark said, “very consistent, mature, all these things we like. Reliable. But I thought tonight he had his best stuff, which is saying something, because he’s usually (at) 93 miles an hour, and I haven’t seen the velocities, but it looked a little firmer tonight.

Ty Hodge home run. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Ty Hodge gets the flying arm bump after his sixth-inning grand slam against the Memphis Tigers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“Yeah, it looked tough. The breaker looked harder (with more depth). Really, just a great job by him.”

The Roadrunners played what Hallmark called a “clean game” on defense with no errors, and they also stroked 14 hits on offense — including a three-run homer by James Taussig and a grand slam by Ty Hodge — to maintain a two-game lead on the South Florida Bulls in the American Athletic Conference.

The Bulls won on the road, downing the Wichita State Shockers, 4-1, to stay within two of the top spot in the AAC standings. The Roadrunners, meanwhile, held serve with their 31st victory of the season. On pace to win 40, UTSA improved to 31-10 overall and to 13-3 in the AAC.

Afterward, Royse said he just feels good physically at this point in the season, which is obviously a good thing for the Roadrunners. His mix of off speed and fastball may have been the key. He agreed that his heater may have been “a tick” harder than usual against Memphis.

“It’s just the time of the year, getting later toward the end of the season,” Royse said. “Body’s feeling good. You know, I’ve been throwing for quite awhile.” Asked if the warm weather helps, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior from Katy said it “definitely” does.

The Roadrunners backed Royse (6-4) by erupting for three runs in the third inning, five in the fifth and four more in the sixth. Taussig ripped his fifth home run of the season in the fifth by pulling it far over the right field wall. Hodge, not to be outdone, smacked his fourth of the year in the sixth.

Drew Detlefsen. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Drew Detlefsen executes a head-first slide at home to score in UTSA’s five-run fifth inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

On both occasions, Roadrunners who were not even in the game got in on the act, greeting both Taussig and Hodge on the dugout steps after their trip around the bases with the customary ‘boom’ celebration. In the celebration, everyone jumps, and the home run hitter makes contact with someone on a flying arm bump.

The “boom” is emblematic of a close bond that has developed among players over the course of the season. Royse said he thinks the cohesive nature of the group may be what separates UTSA from teams that aren’t winning as much. “Our camaraderie is really great,” he said. “You know, all the guys are together. It’s been a good time.”

Records

Memphis 16-25, 4-12
UTSA 31-10, 13-3

Coming up

Memphis at UTSA, Saturday, 4 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, Sunday, noon
UTSA at Texas State (non conference), Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Notable

UTSA has hit six grand slams this season, including one each in the last two games.

In the Roadrunners’ previous outing, last Saturday at home, Diego Diaz hit one in the second inning of a 25-5 victory over the Tulane Green Wave. In the sixth inning against Memphis, Hodge smashed one off reliever Malik Harris, pulling a line drive over the left field wall, scoring Taussig, Drew Detlefsen and Jordan Ballin ahead of him.

With the win against the Tigers, Roadrunners can now clinch the series with a victory on Saturday afternoon. Righthander Braylon Owens will get the start. Already, UTSA has won all five of its AAC series this season — against Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, UAB, Wichita State and Tulane. UTSA closes conference with road series at South Florida and East Carolina and then a home series against Rice.

The Roadrunners are 20-2 at home.

AAC leaders

UTSA 13-3, 31-10
South Florida 11-5, 23-16
Charlotte 10-6, 24-17

James Taussig. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig acknowledges his teammates after ripping a three-run homer in the fifth inning against Memphis starter Seth Garner. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA baseball coach is serving a two-game suspension

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

A UTSA spokesman said in a text that baseball coach Pat Hallmark will serve the second game of a two-game suspension when his team plays on the road tonight at the 14th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies.

The coach was hit with the suspension after his ejection from the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Youngstown State Penguins.

Hallmark served the first game of the suspension on Sunday in the Roadrunners’ victory at home over the Penguins in a weekend series finale.

UTSA swept four games from Youngstown State over the weekend, extending its winning streak to 10 and running its record to 11-3.

The Roadrunners played four games on the road to start the season and went 1-3. Returning home to play their next 10, the Roadrunners won all of them.

The Aggies, ranked No 1 in the preseason, have dropped four straight games, falling to 6-4 and to 14th in the D1 Baseball rankings.

Texas A&M defeated UTSA 6-5 last year in College Station on a bottom of the ninth-inning solo home run by Jackson Appel off Robert Orloski.

The Roadrunners led 5-1 after four innings and couldn’t hold on.

A UTSA freshman makes the most of his last at bat in Arlington

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners will close out a stretch of four straight road games to start the season today in Waco against the Baylor Bears.

They’re expected to face freshman lefthander Carson Bailey, who throws heat with velocity in the mid-90s, so the Roadrunners will need to be on top of their game. First pitch is at 3 p.m..

Reporters had a chance to chat on Monday’s media zoom call with Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark, whose team lost its first two at UT Arlington last weekend before rebounding to win 6-3 on Sunday afternoon. A highlight of the Roadrunners’ first victory of the season came in the top of the eighth inning.

Down 3-2, they scored four runs to take the lead, with the big blow coming off the bat of a freshman playing in only his third college game.

Who is this freshman? Caden Miller is his name. A small-town guy, he attended high school in East Texas in the town of Madisonville, with a population of a little more than 13,000. Madisonville High School, about 90 miles north of Houston, has about 650 students total in grades 9-12.

Competing at the Class 4A level, the 6-foot-2 Miller honed his skills, showing enough ability with the bat to play his way into some high-level summer programs.

Hallmark said Miller’s summer ball team was one of the best in the state. “He’s facing some of the best pitching, playing in the top tournaments nationally,” the coach said, “so he’s seen good pitching.”

Miller’s arrival at UTSA in the fall was an unexpected pleasant surprise for the UTSA coaches.

“He’s a terrific player and a good get for us,” Hallmark said. “He was actually going to (Houston Christian University), I think, with the relationship (he had) with Lance Berkman. When Lance resigned (as coach) last summer, Caden opened his recruiting back up, and we were able to get him over here.

“So he was a fairly big recruit, certainly a big recruit for us. Happy to have him. He has some hitting talent. He has more raw hitting talent than most of the recruits we get.”

Miller, who sets up with an open stance from the left side, suffered through a bit of a rocky start at the plate in his first two games for the Roadrunners.

Batting leadoff, he went hitless in his first seven appearances and struck out three times combined in 5-0 and 7-4 losses on Friday and Saturday.

“He was a little antsy,” Hallmark said. “You probably saw (it), he was hitting in the leadoff spot Friday and Saturday (and) he was just antsy, a little jumpy up there, and he wasn’t getting real good looks at pitches.

“He was chasing more pitches than he ever chases. That’s one thing he does really well, which is why I hit him in the leadoff spot. He controls the strike zone terrifically, especially for a freshman. But, anyway, he settled down Sunday.”

Batting seventh in the series finale against the Mavericks, he walked in his first appearance in the second inning and then lined a grounder to first, which was turned into a double play, in the fourth. When Miller returned to the dugout, Hallmark told his young charge that his swing looked good.

He told him to stay with it. In the sixth inning, his approach paid dividends, and he singled through the right side. Coming up again in the eighth, UTSA had tied the game 3-3 on a Tye Odom RBI single, and Andrew Stucky had just flied out deep into the outfield, pushing Roadrunners on the bases to second and third.

In a lefty on lefty confrontation, Miller barreled a Kyle Winkler pitch high and deep to center. Ultimately, it caromed off the batters’ eye for a three-run homer. A jolt of energy surged through a visitors dugout that had not had much luck to that point.

“I thought he had a good at-bat on the groundout to first,” Hallmark said. “Kind of ironic, I told him after that at bat, just stay where you’re at. You’re swinging the bat good. The three-run homer came later.”

Just in time to save the Roadrunners’ opening weekend.

Coming up

UTSA at Baylor, today, 3 p.m.
Long Island at UTSA, Friday, 6 p.m.
Long Island at UTSA, doubleheader, noon
Long Island at UTSA, Sunday, 11 a.m.

Records

UTSA 1-2
Baylor 3-0

Baseball preview: Owens, Royse, Orloski in line to pitch on opening weekend for UTSA

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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 was 4-1 with a 4.99 earned run average last season. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Pitchers Braylon Owens, Zach Royse and Rob Orloski are in the running to start for the UTSA Roadrunners as they prepare for the season-opening baseball series next weekend at UT Arlington, Coach Pat Hallmark said Wednesday.

“I don’t know if they’ll all three be starters, because someone needs to fill the role left by Ruger (Riojas last year) and then the year before, Simon Miller, which we call stopper,” Hallmark said. “I think in the major leagues you call it a closer. But we use ’em sooner than they do in the major leagues.

Zach Royse. Sam Houston State beat UTSA 18-2 in non-conference baseball on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Zach Royse, a junior from Katy Cinco Ranch, has moved into consideration as an opening weekend starter for the UTSA Roadrunners – File photo by Joe Alexander

“In other words, we’ll use ’em sooner. We’ll use ’em in the fifth inning. We need to fill that role, and it could be one of those three guys. But two of those guys I think are starters, and maybe one of those three guys is the stopper, but we’ve got some other good pitchers, too. We just need to see what they do against people that don’t wear the same color uniforms. In other words, not in an intrasquad game.”

Even though the staff this season might not be as experienced as last year top to bottom, Hallmark said he likes the talent.

“It’s good,” he said. “It’s not deep. I don’t think it’s deep enough. But it could be.”

Owens, Royse and Orloski apparently have separated themselves from the others going into the final week of preparation.

“We’re super excited to have ’em,” Hallmark said. “They’re going to be good. They’re going to be reliable, steady, and they’re going to pitch a lot – as long as they’re healthy.

“I joked with ’em already,” he said. “I used to tell ’em, if you walk two guys in an inning, I’m going to come and take you out. I hope they don’t walk two in an inning, but I’ve already told ’em I’m going to be leaving them in there a little longer than I used to.

“So, we need to get some development from some of the younger guys, or some of the new guys, and I think they’re on their way to doing that.”

The Roadrunners, picked to finish fourth in the American Athletic Conference, will open the season on Friday, Feb. 14, on the road in the first of a three-game series against UT Arlington.

Robert Orloski. UTSA beat Incarnate Word 13-3 in non-conference baseball on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Righthander Robert Orloski beat East Carolina last season at Roadrunner Field. – File photo by Joe Alexander

After playing a mid-week game at Baylor on Feb. 18, the Roadrunners will open at home Feb. 21-23 with four games against the Long Island University Sharks.

Center fielder Mason Lytle is the team’s top returning player. Back in December, he was tabbed as the preseason Player of the Year in the American. The Roadrunners lost two other stars — Riojas and shortstop Matt King — to the transfer portal. Riojas is now at Texas and King at Arizona State.

Here’s a look at the Roadrunners, position by position, going into next week:

Pitchers – Robert Orloski, Braylon Owens, Zach Royse

Catchers – Lorenzo Morresi, Andrew Stucky, Broc Parmer

First base – Caden Miller, Lorenzo Morresi, Cade Sadler

Second base – Diego Diaz, Jordan Ballin

Shortstop – Ty Hodge, Jordan Ballin

Mason Lytle, a senior center fielder for UTSA baseball. At UTSA media day at Roadrunner Field, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2005. - Photo by Joe Alexander.

Outfielder Mason Lytle is the preseason Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference. ,- Photo by Joe Alexander

Third base – Norris McClure, Jordan Ballin

Right field – James Taussig

Center field – Mason Lytle

Left field – Tye Odom

Designated hitter — Garrett Gruell, Drew Detlefsen

Notable

Shortstop is a position in transition at UTSA with the departure of King, a former three-year starter. Ty Hodge, who’s played at Texas A&M one season and Houston Christian for two, is the leading candidate to take over at the position.

“Very, very talented player,” Hallmark said. “Lots of tools. A little bit banged up, that’s been the only knock on him in his college career. He’s a fourth-year college player … Missed one season because of an injury. And he’s a little banged up now, but the talent is there to be a terrific baseball player.

“If Ty’s not able to go, it’ll be Jordan Ballin, local freshman from Boerne (Champion High School). Terrific player.”

Cade Sadler, an infield prospect at first base with a power bat, recently dislocated his shoulder and likely won’t be available right away. Meaning that Caden Miller a freshman from Madisonville High School, might get the opening day start. Lorenzo Morresi, who might be the No. 1 catcher, can also play first.

James Taussig, a senior right fielder for UTSA baseball. At UTSA media day at Roadrunner Field, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2005. - Photo by Joe Alexander.

Senior and returning veteran James Taussig is set to play right field for the Roadrunners. – Photo by Joe Alexander.

The battle for playing time at catcher is interesting. Morresi has the best arm, but Andrew Stucky can hit, and was the team’s leader in home runs in the fall. Also, Broc Parmer has multiple skills.

Said Hallmark: “Right now, there’s not enough innings to go around behind the plate, but we’ll get ’em all in there.”

The outfield appears to be in good shape with Tye Odom in left, Mason Lytle in center and James Taussig in right. Lytle, obviously, is the headliner. He hit .348 last year. Also had 11 home runs and 43 RBI. His batting average was tied for third in the AAC, So were his 142 total bases.

In left, Odom will be taking over for Caleb Hill, one of the mainstays for a team that finished second in the American. Odom is an athlete who can take on the challenge. Last year, he was off to a fast start when he was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Still, he hit .333 with gap power and a .598 slugging percentage in 30 games.

Taussig, at 6-foot-6, hit .307 with six homers and 37 RBI.

“We got two other (outfielders) who can really swing the bat, that we need to find a spot for, Garrett Gruell and Drew Detlefsen,” Hallmark said. “So, one of those guys could end up (at designated hitter), and we could platoon lefty-righty some, as well.”

Next season, the Roadrunners could be in line to offer more than the standard 11.7 scholarships as part of the new structure of college athletics. The top teams in the nation are expected to jump from 11.7 to 34. Teams in the American Athletic Conference likely won’t add that many, but more could be added.

Norris McClure, third baseman for UTSA baseball, spent four seasons at Division-II Spring Hill College in Alabama. At UTSA media day at Roadrunner Field, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2005. - Photo by Joe Alexander.

UTSA third baseman Norris McClure hit .375 over four seasons at Division II Spring Hill College in Alabama, including .401 as a junior in 2023. – Photo by Joe Alexander.

UTSA’s Hallmark on Robert Orloski: ‘He’s eager to pitch, and I’m eager to pitch him’

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said late Friday night that freshman pitcher Robert Orloski is healthy and that he possibly could return to game action as early as this weekend against the South Florida Bulls.

“Rob’s fine,” Hallmark said. “For a freshman, it’s a long season. It’s a longer season than (freshmen) are used to. He had a little spell there where he wasn’t pitching his best. I just think it was at that point, where a lot of freshman hit a little bit of a wall physically.”

Orloski, from Middleton, Idaho, opened the season with some fanfare, starting in Game 1 for the Roadrunners. In 13 appearances this season, mostly as a Friday night starter, he has worked 48 and 2/3 innings.

Over that stretch, he has posted a 3-4 record with a 6.10 earned run average.

The hard-throwing righthander seemed to be at his best in March, when UTSA won home games against the Grand Canyon Lopes and the 10th-ranked East Carolina Pirates. In each game, the Roadrunners won against formidable opponents and quality pitchers.

Notably, Orloski pitched six innings to beat East Carolina and All-American righthander Trey Yesavage at Roadrunner Field on March 22. In April, however, the freshman suffered a few tough outings.

As a result, Hallmark decided to sit him down for awhile.

“He said he was fine,” the coach said. “His velocities were fine. But, when you’re used to playing — at the most — 30 to 35 games, and we’re (approaching) 50 now … For freshmen, it’s more than they’re used to, so we just gave him a little break.”

Asked if Orloski might pitch either of the final two games against South Florida, Hallmark stopped short of saying it would definitely happen.

“He’s ready,” the coach said. “He’s healthy. He’s eager to pitch and I’m eager to pitch him. So, I think you’ll see him. If you don’t see him this weekend, it’s because we’re pitching really well (which) is a good thing.

But we’re looking to pitch him.”

As of Friday night, Hallmark said he planned to start Zach Royse in Game 2. His Game 3 starter? Undetermined.

Baseball: Roadrunners to host the Bobcats tonight in I-35 rivalry

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The drama of the Interstate 35 baseball rivalry between the UTSA Roadrunners and the Texas State Bobcats will unfold once again tonight in San Antonio. First pitch in the 103rd meeting between the teams is at 6 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.

Texas State leads 63-39 in the series, which started in 1992. Each year it showcases athletes who grew up in the area, who are now representing universities separated by about 50 miles of freeway through South Texas.

For years, the teams played against one another in the Southland Conference, and then they shared membership for one season in the Western Athletic Conference.

Since 2014, they’ve played in separate leagues, with Texas State operating in the Sun Belt and UTSA in Conference USA and now, starting with this season, in the American Athletic Conference.

UTSA and Texas State have battled the past five years under successful coaches, with Pat Hallmark leading the Roadrunners and Steven Trout guiding the Bobcats. Trout’s Texas State teams own a 4-2 edge against UTSA in that time.

Earlier this season, on March 19, pitching changes were plentiful and home-run balls were flying all over the place as the Bobcats claimed a 14-13 victory over the Roadrunners in San Marcos.

Seven homers were launched, including four by UTSA, on a night when Texas State used eight pitchers and UTSA seven.

The two teams opened the game by going back and forth on each other with scoring binges. UTSA plated four runs in the top of the first inning. Texas State retaliated with nine in the bottom half. By the end of the third inning, the Bobcats led, 14-8.

UTSA stayed in it, with a shot to win, until the very end. Trailing by three runs going into their last at bat, the Roadrunners received a lift when freshman Diego Diaz hit a two-run homer.

Still trailing by one, the Roadrunners had base runners at first and second when Texas State’s Aaron Lugo fielded a ground ball in the infield and stepped on third for a force play to end it.

Records

Texas State 22-23
UTSA 25-18

Coming up

Non-conference
Tonight: Texas State at UTSA, 6 p.m.

AAC series: Wichita State at UTSA
Friday – 6 p.m.
Saturday — 2 p.m.
Sunday — 1 p.m.

Notable

Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark has a chance to reach a career milestone tonight. A victory would give him 200 in his career. Hallmark is 199-138 in seven seasons, which includes two at the University of the Incarnate Word and five at UTSA.

UTSA has played well overall since the March 19 loss to Texas State, posting a 15-7 record since then. The Roadrunners faltered a bit last weekend, losing two at Rice before claiming a 4-2 victory on Sunday behind the pitching of starter Ulises Quiroga. It was the first series loss for the Roadrunners in conference this season. UTSA is 12-6 in the AAC and sits in second place.

After beating UTSA, Texas State has struggled, going 10-14 in a 24-game stretch. Last weekend in Jonesboro, Ark., the Bobcats dropped back-to-back, one-run decisions to Arkansas State before rebounding to claim a 10-0, run-rule victory on Sunday. Drayton Brown pitched a complete game for the win, which could help tonight if the Bobcats need to go deep into their bullpen. Texas State is 8-13 in conference, 11th out of 14 teams.

Ryne Farber, a Texas State freshman from San Antonio’s Johnson High School, has hit safely in all seven games since returning from injury back on April 19. The San Antonio native is 13 for 25 at the plate for a .520 average during that stretch. Farber didn’t play in the first UTSA-Texas State game.

Offensive leaders

Texas State
Batting average: Farber .398, Kameron Weil .327, Aaron Lugo .298.
Home runs: Lugo 9, Daylan Pena 7, August Ramirez 7.
RBI: Pena 39, Chase Mora 38, Lugo 33.

UTSA
Batting average: Mason Lytle .385, Isaiah Walker .357, Caleb Hill .351.
Home runs: Lytle 9, Hill 9, James Taussig 6.
RBI: Lytle 37, Hill 35, Matt King 34.

Orloski earns opening-day start on the mound as UTSA rolls with a talented freshman

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UTSA baseball media day and practice on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

The batting cage was alive with activity Tuesday as UTSA hosted media day and prepared for Friday’s opener against the UT-Arlington Mavericks. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Last year, the UTSA baseball team relied on a time-tested veteran as its starting pitcher on Friday nights. Senior Luke Malone was the man to open most three-game series. When games got dicey, the Roadrunners called on reliever Simon Miller.

Coach Pat Hallmark. UTSA baseball media day and practice on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Pat Hallmark announced that freshman Robert Orloski will start the season opener Friday at home against UT-Arlington. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Bases loaded in the fifth? With the opponent’s cleanup man at the plate? UTSA trying to protect a one-run lead? Everyone at Roadrunner Field knew that Miller would get the ball in that situation.

Ultimately, UTSA rode the Malone-Miller combination to a 28-8 start that vaulted the Roadrunners into the national Top 25 for the first time in school history.

This season, they’ll open their first series of the season at home Friday afternoon with a different look altogether. Instead of veteran savvy on the mound, Coach Pat Hallmark will roll with a freshman. He announced Tuesday afternoon on media day that he’ll start highly-touted righthander Robert Orloski against UT Arlington.

As a matter of fact, the Roadrunners will stay young in the second game of the four-game series and in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, as well, going with sophomore righty Ruger Riojas. So, with Miller scheduled to pitch this season in the Cincinnati Reds’ minor-league system, who will take his place?

Who will fill that all-important bullpen role? Hallmark admittedly doesn’t have an answer just yet.

“I don’t know,” Hallmark said. “Multiple people at this point. Hopefully that evolves. From a pure talent standpoint, I don’t think we have a Simon Miller. Simon … had a major league breaking ball. He could keep his breaking ball from 87 to 90 miles per hour and keep it depthy. We just don’t have someone that’s going to do that, right?

Ruger Riojas. UTSA baseball media day and practice on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Ruger Riojas is set to open the season as the Roadrunners’ No. 2 starter. Riojas, from Wimberley, was 5-0 with a 4.11 earned run average out of the bullpen last year. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“We do have some guys that are pretty good. Daniel Garza’s solid. And others. But that’s an evolving role at this point.”

UTSA is banking on Orloski to have the chops to withstand all the pressure that comes with being an opening-day starter. Last spring, he was pitching in high school in Middleton, Idaho. In July, the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder with the low 90s fastball and good command was drafted by the Boston Red Sox.

Ultimately, he turned down the opportunity and decided he wanted to attend college instead. “He’s talented,” Hallmark said. “He was drafted by the Red Sox out of high school in the 20th round, so you know he’s got some talent. And he’s mature. I don’t think Rob will be rattled. I could be wrong, right? But eventually Rob’s going to be a very good college pitcher, so we might as well start finding out when right now.”

Orloski already rates as one of the most-watched pitchers on the team by the veterans. Junior third baseman Matt King said he enjoys watching him work. “I have a lot of high expectations for him,” King said. “I like watching him. He pounds the zone. He throws hard. He’s one of my favorite pitchers on this team.”

Matt King. UTSA baseball media day and practice on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Matt King is expected to play third base this season after starting most of the last two seasons at shortstop. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Honored as Gatorade Pitcher of the Year in Idaho in 2023, Orloski will hardly be the only newcomer on the field for UTSA on opening day. It is probably a safe bet that fans will see veterans Matt King, Isaiah Walker and Caleb Hill on the field somewhere. King, a preseason All-American Athletic Conference pick, likely will be at third base. Walker and Hill will be out there somewhere.

But after that, it’s hard to read Hallmark’s mind on who will be where. What is known, at this point, is that the newcomers will face expectations. UTSA won 38 games in each of the last two seasons. Both teams finished high in the Conference USA race. Everyone in the renovated ball park this spring will want to see all that, and more.

“It’s new, right?” Hallmark said. “There’s certainly expectations after the last two years, which is wonderful. We don’t shy away from it. That’s what we want. We talk about it. But (there) are new players. They haven’t done it before. So, we need to tee it up and see how they do.

“It won’t be perfect, right? We’re going to have bad games and some bad play. But I think we’ll figure it out. We just need to figure it out as soon as possible.”

Hallmark said a conference championship is the next step for his program.

“We finished second in the conference last year and third the year before,” he said. “I think it’s easy and appropriate to say the next step is to win a conference championship and to play in the NCAA tournament. Those are the two things that are the next step.”

Coming up
UT Arlington at UTSA

Game One – Friday, 4 p.m.
Games Two and Three — Doubleheader on Saturday, first game starting at noon
Game Four – Sunday, 1 p.m.

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Building a foundation of success: UTSA baseball opens a new season this week

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UTSA coach Pat Hallmark. UTSA baseball beat Houston 12-2 in 7 innings on a run rule on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark will lead the Roadrunners into a season-opening series at home this weekend against UT-Arlington. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

College baseball season has arrived, with UTSA coach Pat Hallmark and a few players expected to address the media later today to talk about their hopes and dreams.

Topics of discussion are expected to include heightened expectations in the wake of back-to-back, 38-win seasons and what’s expected in the way of a lineup for the opener Friday at home against UT-Arlington.

In addition, we will surely hear questions asked about the renovations at Roadrunner Field and the transition from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference.

The playing surface at Roadrunner Field has been fixed after it unexpectedly sustained damage during construction last month. As a precaution, the Roadrunners spent at least the first weekend of official practices in late January at off-campus locations.

“The team has been practicing and playing intrasquad games at Roadrunner Field for the past two weeks,” a school spokeswoman said in a text last Friday.

Despite the issues related to their field, the baseball program is on solid footing. A winning culture has been established. Last year’s team played much of the second half of the season ranked in the Top 25.

I had a chance to visit with Coach Hallmark a few weeks ago. In that interview we talked about the expectations this season — UTSA is picked third in the AAC — and how the personnel might be utilized.

Some of the information I have had in my notebook may be a little outdated by now in the wake of recent practices and evaluations, but I wanted to share it with you, anyway.

Given all that, here is a look at the Roadrunners, position by position:

Catcher — JUCO transfers Andrew Stucky, Broc Parmer and Lorenzo Moressi are expected to split duties through the early portion of the season, with freshman Whitt Joyce from Medina Valley waiting in the wings. The three from JUCO all enjoyed productive seasons at the plate last year. “They all look good,” Hallmark said. “They’re all fighting for the No. 1 spot.”

First base — Senior transfer Alex Olivo, a senior transfer from Texas Southern, and returning player James Taussig both hit with home run power. Also, JUCO transfer Mark Henning is in the mix. All three bat from the left side. Hallmark says first base is “fairly open” at this point. “We have multiple guys that can hit. We’re looking for that combination of hitter-best defender, and one of those guys could end up at DH,” the coach said.

Second base — Isaiah Walker, a .273 hitter a year ago who sat out down the stretch with a hamstring injury. “Isaiah,” Hallmark said, “is a guy we wish we had nine of him, because he can play anywhere on the field. Good defense everywhere.” Also, either of three newcomers, Hector Rodriguez, Zane Spinn or Diego Diaz.

Shortstop — Rodriguez and Spinn. Also, Diaz. Rodriguez played in high school at Houston Westside and at Galveston College. Spinn, from Holland, Tex., also has played at Temple JC. He was at Sam Houston State last year but did not play for the Bearkats, who won a mid-week game off UTSA at Roadrunner Field. Spinn, at 6-4 and 218 pounds, has the potential to hit home runs. Diaz is from the Rio Grande Valley, from Pharr and Sharyland High School.

Third base — Matt King is UTSA’s most accomplished returning player. Over the past two seasons, he has played in 108 games and started 99. He hit for a .318 average last year, slugged six home runs and produced 58 RBIs. “Matt had a good year last year,” the coach said. “We’re looking for him to do that again.” In case of injury, the coach said any of the players at second or third could move over.

Outfielders — Look for returning players Caleb Hill, Isaiah Walker, Tye Odom, James Taussig and Dalton Porter, plus newcomer Mason Lytle, a transfer from Oregon, to play. Hill, who hit .318 with seven homers and 41 RBIs last year, is solid in left field. “Lytle, Odom and Walker, all of ’em are terrific defenders,” Hallmark said. “Any of ’em could be in center. Any of ’em could be in right.”

Pitching — Ulises Quiroga, Ruger Riojas, Daniel Garza, Drake Smith and Ryan Beaird, in that order, logged the most innings pitched for the Roadrunners last year. Coaches are counting on those five along with Ryan Ward to step up their productivity. Also, Braylon Owens looked sharp in early workouts. Braden Smith, a standout from two years ago, is healthy again after missing all of last year.

An intriguing story is Idaho native Robert Orloski, a 6-foot-3 righthander who signed with UTSA and then was drafted in the 20th round of the major league draft by the Boston Red Sox. On Tuesday afternoon, Hallmark named Orloski as his opening-day starter, with Riojas second in the rotation.

Damaged playing surface at Roadrunner Field forces first official practices off campus

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA baseball team opened practices off campus for three days last weekend as work progressed on a project to upgrade Roadrunner Field.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark. 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

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark says his team held its first official practices last weekend off campus after Roadrunner Field was damaged in efforts to lay underground cable. – File photo by Joe Alexander

The project includes a new press box and a new grandstand behind home plate that will include chair-back seating. Dugouts also are being expanded.

Fifth-year coach Pat Hallmark said in an interview on Monday morning that recent work to lay underground cable for television went awry and left the field unplayable in different areas.

“They did something under the ground,” Hallmark said. “… and they damaged the field in multiple places. So that’s got us practicing somewhere else.”

Explaining the situation, Hallmark said “a drill powered by air and water” was in use, “and somehow it backed up, and everything came up,” leaving the field wet and mushy in parts of the infield and the outfield.

“It was like a water bed when you walked on it,” the coach said.

The portion of the infield that had been soggy is now dried and just needs “patching up,” Hallmark said, but the outfield area in shallow center remains an issue.

“It’s more of a mess,” the coach said. “I guess there’s more moisture under there. I don’t know exactly (why). But it’s not even dry yet (and) we’ve had three good days of dry (weather). Anyway, I don’t know even all the details. I just know we can’t play a game on our field.”

After off-campus workouts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, players had Monday off. Come Tuesday, the plan called for them to work at Roadrunner Field because there is no intrasquad game scheduled. “You can control practice better when there’s no intrasquad game,” the coach explained.

Hallmark acknowledged that the uncertainty with the playing surface on the team’s home field is “a little bit” of a distraction with the regular-season opener looming on Feb. 16.

“Some of these high schools and their (baseball) programs have been very gracious, to let us on their fields,” he said, noting that the team has practiced at Antonian, Central Catholic and Cornerstone.

Added Hallmark, “We’re getting our work in. Like I said, we’ve played 23 innings, which is what we had planned, whether it was here or (elsewhere). So, (we) adapt and move on.”

Hallmark is in the initial stages of preparing to build on back-to-back 38-win seasons. Last spring, the Roadrunners started out sizzling with a 28-8 record, soaring into the national top 25 for most of April and May.

After a few key players suffered injuries, their momentum was slowed significantly.

Even then, the Roadrunners still had a chance to win the Conference USA title going into their last home series.

But in the end, the Dallas Baptist Patriots swept three straight games at Roadrunner Field to clinch the regular-season title. UTSA finished in second place and bowed out of the C-USA tournament in two straight games.

Transitioning into the American Athletic Conference this season, UTSA has been picked to finish third even though standouts such as Simon Miller, Luke Malone, Antonio Valdez, Taylor Smith, Leyton Barry and Josh Killeen have moved on in their careers.

Hallmark, speaking to a reporter in his office at the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence on Monday morning, shrugged off the AAC preseason poll by saying that it doesn’t mean much.

“It doesn’t matter, to be honest,” he said. “Whether we were first, third or last, we still got to go out there and play good ball. Throw strikes. Play defense. Fight at the plate. That’s what I’m hoping we do.”

Notable

UTSA opens with a home series against UT-Arlington on Feb. 16.

Top returning position players for the Roadrunners include Matt King, who has moved from shortstop to play third base, outfielder Caleb Hill and infielder/outfielder Isaiah Walker. King has been named to the preseason all-AAC team. UTSA’s most productive returning pitchers would include Ulises Quiroga and Ruger Riojas.

Righthander Braylon Owens, who went 3-2 in 2022 but struggled last year, pitched well last weekend as the team played 23 innings intrasquad.

A couple of newcomers to watch are fleet outfielder Mason Lytle, a transfer from Oregon, and freshman pitcher Robert Orloski.

Lytle sat out most of last season with the Ducks with an injury, but in previous years he was .339 hitter in his career at San Jacinto College. Lytle played in high school at Pearland in the Houston area. Orloski, an Idaho native who completed high school last spring, was drafted in the 20th round in July by the Boston Red Sox. He did not sign and elected to play for the Roadrunners.

Simon Miller, a righthanded reliever, is expected to report to training camp with the Cincinnati Reds in coming weeks.

Dallas Baptist coach says UTSA still belongs in the NCAA at-large conversation

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Before leaving the ball park on Sunday afternoon, Dallas Baptist coach Dan Heefner had a couple of interesting takeaways from his team’s three-game sweep of the UTSA Roadrunners.

First of all, he praised his players for rising to the challenge and seizing the regular-season title in the program’s first year in Conference USA. Next, he said the Patriots helped themselves in regard to the merits on whether they deserve to be one of 16 hosts of an NCAA tournament regional.

But, most interesting, he said he believes the Roadrunners still belong in the discussion to reach the 64-team NCAAs even if they come up short of the C-USA tournament title.

“I think without a doubt they’re still in the mix,” he said Sunday after his team completed an 11-7, 11-9 and 9-6 weekend sweep at Roadrunner Field.

By Monday morning, it became apparent that the Roadrunners will need to play extremely well in their last four regular season games and in the conference tournament to gain an at-large bid.

And, quite possibly, the only sure way for the Roadrunners to play in an NCAA regional this season would be to win C-USA postseason title in Houston, which would yield an automatic bid.

UTSA’s precarious position became evident when the NCAA Division I baseball ratings percentage index was published overnight following last weekend’s games. The latest NCAA RPI has Dallas Baptist as the C-USA’s top-rated team at No. 15, which is up 10 spots. The latest listing for UTSA is at No. 60, which is down six spots.

Last year, UTSA was 37th after grinding all the way through to the C-USA postseason championship game, where it lost to Louisiana Tech. On the next day, a 38-win UTSA team was not in the 64-team NCAA field despite winning twice on the road in the C-USA tournament against the regular-season champion and top 15 Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Right now, the Roadrunners can point to a 2-1 record this season against RPI top-50 programs. Namely, a road victory over RPI No. 39 Texas A&M and a 1-1 split against RPI No. 47 Texas State. Also, they have been as consistent in the regular season as anyone in the nation, going 11-1-1 in weekend series.

On top of that, they’re 36-15 and 19-7 in conference, failing to win on the weekend at Charlotte and Dallas Baptist at home. Moreover, they’ve been in the top 25 in various media polls since the first week of April.

Last week, the DI Baseball poll had them at No. 22. On Monday morning, the DI poll dropped UTSA out of the Top 25, while moving Dallas Baptist up one notch to No. 17.

Still looming on UTSA’s schedule are four road games, Tuesday at Abilene Christian and Thursday through Saturday at Louisiana Tech. The C-USA tournament is set for the following week, from May 24-28, at Reckling Park in Houston.

At present, Heefner insisted that UTSA still belongs in the discussion for an at-large bid.

“Yes, for an at large,” he said. “They’ve been really consistent all season long. Obviously, I feel like we have a really good team. (Also), they’ve still got their Tuesday game, they got next weekend (at LA Tech) and the conference tournament. They’re a talented team and they’ve put themselves in a really good position.

“I think if they finish well, they have a very deserving shot at an at=large bid.”

UTSA was 25-5 at home before Dallas Baptist arrived, making the Patriots’ sweep all the more noteworthy. Heefner said he hopes his team’s performance at Roadrunner Field will aid in its desire to host an NCAA regional.

“That’s a thing for the (NCAA) committee, but that’s a goal we have as a program. We’ve done it before, and we schedule in a way that we’re going to really challenge ourselves in a non-conference schedule standpoint, because we do want to put ourselves in that position. I think our guys have done a great job and have been pretty consistent.

“You know, we had one little stretch at the very beginning of the year, and then ever since then, we’ve played really well. I think we’ve played like a (first-weekend) host team.”