Sam Houston State hits five home runs and routs UTSA, 18-2

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

Sam Houston State starting pitcher Marshall Wales worked six innings and allowed two runs, one of them earned, to earn the victory on the home field of the 22nd-ranked UTSA Roadrunners.- Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The Sam Houston State Bearkats entered Tuesday night’s game in San Antonio with victories this season over Iowa, Kansas State, Illinois, Houston and Texas A&M.

The Bearkats added to their list of non-conference conquests, slamming five home runs in an 18-2 victory over 22nd-ranked UTSA at Roadrunner Field.

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

UTSA right fielder Isaiah Walker camps out under a fly ball Tuesday night at Roadrunner Field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Backing a strong starting pitching effort from lefthander Marshall Wales, the Bearkats finished with 18 hits.

Justin Wishkoski ripped two of the home runs, while Clayton Chadwick, Carlos Contreras and Easton Loyd added one apiece.

Chadwick barreled a three-run homer to the opposite field in left to highlight a four-run first inning for the visiting team. In the top of the third, Contreras pulled one to right for a two-run blast during a five-run outburst.

When the dust cleared, the Bearkats had a 9-2 lead.

“You know, we got off to a good start, and I think that’s the whole key,” Sam Houston State coach Jay Sirianni said. “These guys (at UTSA) are really good. They’ve had a great year. (But) when you score early, it gives you a little bit of confidence, and you can add on to it.

“I thought Marshall Wales did a good job for us in hanging the first zero and then gave up the two in the second, but after that, he was pretty good. (He) continued to throw strikes, and that’s the whole key on a Tuesday night.”

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

UTSA shortstop Matt King makes a play and fires to first base . – Photo by Joe Alexander

Wales (2-4) gave up seven hits and two runs, only one of them earned, in six innings of work. He struck out two, did not walk anyone and lowered his earned run average to 5.29.

“It’s a great opportunity to go on the road and show who we are as a team,” Wales said. “Obviously, getting toward the later part of the season, you know, it’s all hands on deck. (It’s) who can step up and throw and who can complete the job.

“We knew they were a good squad. We knew we had to play good, and we did. It’s a test on the road. You know, long drive, get off the bus and go out and compete. It was really a good vibe before the game with the guys.

“Really loose, I think we were playing really loose as a team. Really, just playing as a team.”

Records

Sam Houston State 28-18
UTSA 33-12

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, three Conference USA games, Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Notable

Sam Houston State set a UTSA opponent season high with 18 runs. Sam Houston also tied a UTSA opponent season high with 18 hits. The Bearkats’ 16-run margin of victory was also the most against the Roadrunners this year. Previously, UTSA’s widest margin of defeat was six runs in an 8-2 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 28.

Deing scores 26 as UTSA holds off Sam Houston State, 78-73

Frittering away most of an 18-point halftime lead, the UTSA Roadrunners steadied themselves in the last minute Saturday to turn back the Sam Houston State Bearkats, 78-73, in a neutral-site game at Houston.

“It was a good win for us,” UTSA coach Steve Henson said on the team’s radio broadcast from the Toyota Center, the home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. “Found a way to get it in the right column.”

UTSA guard Dhieu Deing sank two free throws with 10 seconds left for the final points of the game. With the two clutch freebies, UTSA finished 14 of 14 at the line.

Deing, a junior transfer in his first season with the Roadrunners, scored a team-high 26 points.

For the 6-foot-5 former North Carolina schoolboy, a Louisiana native whose family grew up in Africa, it was his fourth game of 20 or more points in his last six outings.

Deing hit 8 of 18 from the field, 4 of 10 from three and 6 of 6 at the free throw line.

As a team, UTSA shot 47.4 percent from the field, one of its best marks of the season. For the season, the Roadrunners are shooting a sub-par 39.1 percent, but they have improved to a combined 42.4 over the last four games, during which they have forged a 3-1 record.

Late in the first half, the Roadrunners played one of their best stretches of the season, finishing on a 20-4 run to lead 42-24 at intermission.

But in the second half, the Bearkats nearly came all the way back. They surged 14-2, a run capped by Savion Flagg’s three-pointer, to forge a 63-63 tie with 6:35 remaining.

Undeterred, the Roadrunners answered with a decisive 9-0 run of their own, with Cedrick Alley, Jr.’s three starting it. From there, Jordan Ivy-Curry hit a layup and Deing sank a layup and two free throws.

All of a sudden, it was 72-63 with 4:10 remaining.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” Ivy-Curry said. “You got to keep up the intensity. Keep moving forward. Because even though you have slip ups, you know, keep playing.”

With Darius McNeill injured and not playing, Ivy-Curry has taken on added responsibility to play point guard.

Henson said he’s doing a good job with it, for the most part. He’s making progress, the coach said.

“Dhieu, from the start of the season to this point, has probably improved the most,” Henson said. “I thought he might have backed up a little today with his shot selection. We thought we had those out of his system. But he’s made progress as well.”

Records

UTSA 6-4
Sam Houston State 3-6

Coming up

Dec. 17 — UT Rio Grande Valley at UTSA, 7 p.m.

Individual highlights

UTSA — Cedrick Alley Jr. produced 17 points, six rebounds and four steals. Alley, who shot the ball with confidence for the second straight game, hit 7 of 10 from the field.

Playing point guard for the most part, Ivy-Curry had 16 points, four rebounds and three assists. Center Jacob Germany had 14 points and eight rebounds.

Sam Houston — Senior guard Demarkus Lampley scored 23 points, including seven 3-point baskets. Lampley made five threes in the second half. Flagg finished with a double-double, producing 19 points and 13 rebounds.

First half

Playing their best half of the season, the Roadrunners shot 53.6 percent from the field en route to a 42-24 lead at intermission.

The scoring was balanced among starters with Deing notching 12, Cedric Alley Jr. 10, Ivy-Curry 9 and Jacob Germany 8.

Continuing an offensive surge from UTSA’s last game, Alley was 4 for 5 from the field, including 2 of 3 from three.

Also, Alley pulled down five rebounds as UTSA controlled the boards, 24-15, and held Sam Houston State to 27.3 percent.

Sam Houston’s Savion Flagg, a transfer from Texas A&M, had 11 points and five rebounds at the half.

The Bearkats pulled to within two of the Roadrunners when Flagg hit a three mid-way through the half. From there, UTSA put together a 20-4 run.

Notebook

Sam Houston State and UTSA played each other annually for more than two decades as members of the Southland Conference. UTSA moved out of the Southland and into the Western Athletic Conference in 2012-13. UTSA opened in Conference USA in 2013-14. Sam Houston State is playing this season in its first year as a member of the WAC.

In his fourth game of the season, UTSA newcomer Aleu Aleu played 21 minutes and finished with three points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

He hit his first three-pointer of the season with a minute left in the first half.

Aleu, a 6-foot-8 native of Kenya, played in high school in Austin and in junior college at Temple. Nursing a quadriceps injury, he sat out most of the team’s preseason camp in October.

Senior transfer Darius McNeill sat out his third straight game with a foot injury. He hasn’t practiced since he suffered the mishap on Nov. 24 in a home game against Lamar … Guards Erik Czumbel and Christian Tucker played only limited minutes. Czumbel battled through an illness in recent days.

Sam Houston State wins 7-3; UIW’s season comes to an end


The Incarnate Word baseball team walks solemnly to the outfield after its season ended Saturday with a 7-3 loss to Sam Houston State. UIW finished 29-26 for its first winning record in six years.

Jack Rogers slammed two of Sam Houston State’s four home runs Saturday afternoon en route to a 7-3 victory over the University of the Incarnate Word at Sullivan Field.

It was the regular-season finale for both teams.

The Bearkats swept all three games of the series in San Antonio to deny the Cardinals what would have been their first trip to the Southland Conference baseball tournament.

What began as a promising season for UIW ended on a seven-game losing streak.

Andrew Fregia homered in the first inning for the Bearkats, who will be the top seed in the SLC tournament next week at Sugar Land.

Rogers added a homer in the third, followed by Hearn’s shot in the fourth. Rogers hit another one in the seventh.

Records

Sam Houston 38-18, 24-6
Incarnate Word 29-26 13-17

Notebook

Despite the late-season swoon, first-year coach Patrick Hallmark led UIW to its first winning record as an NCAA Division I program.

The 13 conference wins were also the most in the team’s five years in the SLC.

UIW had posted losing overall records each of the past four seasons during its transition to Division I.

This was the first season in the wake of the transition that UIW would have been allowed to play in the tournament.

The Cardinals’ last non-losing record came in 2013, in their final year in Division II, when they posted a 26-26 record.

Their last winning record came in 2012 when they finished 24-20.

Sam Houston claims SLC title with 5-4, 10-inning win at UIW

Sam Houston State's Jordan Cannon (25) and Mac Odom (1) are congratulated by teammates after scoring in the top of the ninth inning to tie it 4-4 against Incarnate Word on Thursday night. - photo by Joe Alexander

Sam Houston State’s Jordan Cannon (25) and Mac Odom (1) are congratulated by teammates after scoring in the top of the ninth inning to tie it 4-4 against Incarnate Word on Thursday night. – photo by Joe Alexander

Trailing by two runs with two outs in the ninth inning, Sam Houston State refused to fold.

The Bearkats rallied to beat the Incarnate Word Cardinals 5-4 in 10 innings to claim the Southland Conference’s regular-season title outright.

One out away from losing the opener of a three-game series at UIW’s Sullivan Field, the Bearkats came to life when Jack Rogers singled for two RBI and a tie score at 4-4 in the top of the ninth.

Hunter Hearn added the game winner with a solo shot to lead off the 10th.

Reliever Dakota Mills closed in the bottom of the inning for his ninth save of the season, which sent UIW tumbling to its fifth loss in a row.

Ridge Rogers, Kyle Bergeron, Ryan Flores and Eddy Gonzalez all had two hits for the Cardinals, who remain in the race for a spot in next week’s SLC tournament.

UIW starting pitcher Bernie Martinez allowed four runs on seven hits in 8 and 2/3 innings.

He walked four and struck out seven.

Records

Sam Houston State 36-18, 22-6
Incarnate Word 29-24, 13-15

Incarnate Word starting pitcher Bernie Martinez struck out seven batters and pitch 8 2/3 innings against Sam Houston State. - photo by Joe Alexander

Incarnate Word starting pitcher Bernie Martinez struck out seven batters and pitched 8 2/3 innings against Sam Houston State. – photo by Joe Alexander

Coming up

Sam Houston at UIW, 2 p.m. Friday
Sam Houston at UIW, 1 p.m. Saturday

Incarnate Word outfielder Ridge Rivers is congratulated by teammates after making a catch against the wall against Sam Houston State. - photo by Joe Alexander

Incarnate Word outfielder Ridge Rogers is congratulated by teammates after making a catch against the wall against Sam Houston State. – photo by Joe Alexander

UIW hosts Sam Houston State, hopes to clinch tournament berth

The University of Incarnate Word baseball team hopes to clinch its first trip to the Southland Conference tournament this week when it hosts Sam Houston State in a three-game series.

All games will be held at Sullivan Field.

Game 1 is set for tonight at 6:30, followed by a second game on Friday at 2 p.m. The regular-season finale for both teams is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.

Sam Houston State is coming off a season of historic success.

Last spring, the Bearkats won the NCAA Lubbock Regional and advanced to face Florida State in the NCAA Super Regional at Tallahassee.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi wins, completes sweep against UIW

The Jackson Owens-fueled Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders turned back the Incarnate Word Cardinals 8-3 Sunday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep.

Owens beat UIW at the plate and on the mound.

He hit a double and a triple and drove in three runs for the Islanders, and he also pitched the last 2 and 2/3 innings, earning credit for the win.

The series was played in Corpus Christi at Chapman Field.

Records

Incarnate Word 29-23, 13-14
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 27-26, 11-16

Series notes

The Cardinals held the lead in all three games but failed to win any of them.

As a result, they fell into a tie for seventh with New Orleans leading into the final days of the SLC race.

Eight teams qualify for the SLC tournament.

UIW and New Orleans are tied for seventh at 13-14, followed by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Nicholls, both 11-16.

Each team has three games remaining.

Looking ahead

Hoping to secure its first SLC tournament berth, UIW plays at home Thursday, Friday and Saturday against first-place Sam Houston State.

UIW is hosting a team that is coming off historic success.

Last year, the Bearkats won the NCAA Lubbock Regional and advanced to the tournament’s Super Regional round.

At that point, Florida State knocked out Sam Houston State in two straight for a berth in the College World Series.

Recently, the Bearkats (35-17, 21-6) bounced back from a four-game losing streak to win two in a row against Houston Baptist.

Sam Houston State clinched at least a share of the SLC’s regular-season title with a 9-6 victory over Houston Baptist on Sunday.

Tournament time

The SLC tournament is scheduled May 23-26 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land.

UTSA’s season ends with 76-69 playoff loss to Sam Houston State

UTSA guard Giovanni De Nicolao drives against Sam Houston State at the UTSA Convocation Center on Thursday, March 22, 2018 in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com tournament.

UTSA sophomore guard Giovanni De Nicolao drives against Sam Houston State in the CIT quarterfinals. Photo by Joe Alexander.

An emotional UTSA coach Steve Henson addressed reporters Thursday night, explaining the difficulty of delivering a proper message to his players following their last game of the season.

“That’s always a tough conversation,” Henson said. “You know, you’re never totally prepared for it. Going into tonight’s game, (you’re) expecting to win and hoping to win and play next week, so, it was tough. A very tough locker room.”

Trailing by 12 early in the second half, Sam Houston State rallied to eliminate UTSA on its home court with a 76-69 victory in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

An announced crowd of 1,352 watched as the visitors from the Southland Conference hit the home team with a late 17-2 run over a five-minute span to take charge.

With the surge, Sam Houston turned a 57-50 deficit into a 67-59 lead with five minutes remaining.

The Roadrunners (20-15) of Conference USA never got closer than five the rest of the way.

Ultimately, the Bearkats (21-14) won the game at the free-throw line. They hit 27 of 34 to only 7 of 13 for the Roadrunners.

UTSA players took the loss hard.

“I want to keep this feeling, right here, for all summer, how I hurt right now, to work out all summer, to get better and to win the conference (next year),” UTSA guard Giovanni De Nicolao said.


Sam Houston State’s Josh Delaney (15) drives hard to the bucket and dishes to teammate Freddy Bitondo (0) for a layup mid-way through the second half.

Statistical leaders

Sam Houston State: John Dewey III, 18 points, including 13 in the second half. He hit 8 of 10 free throws. Cameron Delaney, 13 points, 6 rebounds. Chris Galbreath, 11 points, 12 rebounds. Josh Delaney, 11 points, 5 assists.

UTSA: Keaton Wallace, 18 points on 6 of 11 shooting, 3 of 7 from three-point distance. Giovanni De Nicolao, 17 points on 7 of 13, including 3 of 5 from three. Nick Allen, 11 points, 4 of 12. Byron Frohnen, 8 points, 4 rebounds. Deon Lyle, 5 points on 2 of 9, 1 of 7 from three.


UTSA forward Byron Frohnen runs the floor and gets the ball for an easy shot late in the first half against Sam Houston State.

First-half highlights

The UTSA Roadrunners hit eight three-pointers in the first half, breaking out to a 37-28 intermission lead.

Wallace led the long-distance barrage, nailing three shots from beyond the arc.

De Nicolao and Allen added two more apiece as the Roadrunners nailed 8 of 16 overall.

Defensively, UTSA played well, holding Sam Houston to 10 of 30 from the field and 4 of 6 free throws.


UTSA guard Giovanni De Nicolao hits a three from the corner early in the first half against Sam Houston State.

Game notes

UTSA players wanted a CIT championship, but they did bring home a 20-win season — only the seventh in the program’s 37 years.

The Roadrunners played its sixth straight game without leading scorer Jhivvan Jackson, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Feb. 24 against Louisiana Tech. UTSA went 3-3 in his absence, including 1-1 in the C-USA tournament and 1-1 in the CIT.

Cameron Delaney, a junior guard from Harker Heights, sparked Sam Houston’s decisive 17-2 run with three-pointer, a steal and another basket.

The Bearkats played without guard Marcus Harris, who injured his foot Monday night in a 69-62 home victory over Eastern Michigan. Harris played in high school in San Antonio for the MacArthur Brahmas. He is averaging 9.7 points per game.

CIT quarterfinals

Saturday’s game
Central Michigan at Liberty

Thursday’s results
Sam Houston State beat UTSA, 76-69

Wednesday’s results
Illinois-Chicago beat Austin Peay, 83-81
Northern Colorado beat San Diego, 86-75

UTSA’s 20-win seasons
Year, record, head coach

1983-84: 20-8 (Don Eddy)
1987-88: 22-9 (Ken Burmeister)
1989-90: 22-7 (Ken Burmeister)
1990-91: 21-8 (Stu Starner)
1991-92: 21-8 (Stu Starner)
2010-11: 20-14 (Brooks Thompson)
2017-18: 20-15 (Steve Henson)

UTSA guard Keaton Wallace plays defense against Sam Houston State's Dajuan Jones at the UTSA Convocation Center on Thursday, March 22, 2018 in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com tournament.

UTSA freshman guard Keaton Wallace plays defense against Sam Houston State’s Dajuan Jones. Wallace finished with a team-high 18 points. Photo by Joe Alexander.