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Hot-hitting UTSA rallies past Texas State, 18-13, to sweep the season series

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

James Taussig and Ty Hodge crushed solo homers to spark a 10-run third inning Tuesday night as the UTSA Roadrunners rallied from an early five-run deficit to beat the Texas State Bobcats, 18-13, in a 4-hour, 35-minute marathon.

In the latest installment of the Interstate 35 rivalry, held on a windy night at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, the Roadrunners (34-10) pounded out 19 hits and three homers to sweep two games from Texas State in out-of-conference play this season.

It was UTSA’s first season sweep of the Bobcats (21-24) since 1995 in a regional series that dates back to 1992.

Texas State leads 63-42 all time, but UTSA has won five of the last seven. The game was played two days after the Bobcats beat the 20th-ranked Troy Trojans on Sunday afternoon in Alabama. The Roadrunners also played Sunday, downing the Memphis Tigers to sweep three games from the Tigers in San Antonio.

Adding to the intrigue, both of the squads were looking ahead to three-game series in conference play starting Friday, with first-place UTSA scheduled to open a three-game set in the American at second-place South Florida, while Texas State is slated to host Louisiana-Monroe in Sun Belt competition.

Regardless, both teams elected to dip into their weekend pitching rotations in a high-scoring game.

Connor Kelley, one of UTSA’s bullpen aces who pitched three innings on Sunday, worked one and two thirds innings into the eighth. Braylon Owens, UTSA’s Saturday night starter, got the last four outs by finishing the eighth and closing out in the ninth.

Home runs for UTSA came off the bats of Drew Detlefsen, Taussig and Hodge.

Taussig, a 6-foot-6 senior senior from New York, has hit home runs in each of his last four games. Other standouts included freshman Jordan Ballin, who had four hits and reached base five times. Also, freshman Caden Miller joined Detlefsen and Mason Lytle with three hits apiece. Miller and Lytle led the team with three RBI.

The Bobcats came out swinging the bats aggressively. They scored one run in the first inning and seven in the second for an 8-3 lead. After the Roadrunners scored 10 in the top of the third, the Bobcats answered with four more in the bottom half, leaving UTSA with a 13-12 advantage after three innings.

Texas State’s second inning was an eye opener. The Bobcats led off with consecutive solo home runs by Ian Collier, Samson Pugh and Zachary Gingrich, a freshman from Smithson Valley High School. Later, after Austin Munguia drilled an RBI single, Dawson Park launched the Bobcats’ fourth home run of the inning.

Park’s blast was a three-run shot that boosted Texas State into a five-run lead. But the lead didn’t last long. UTSA answered with 10 runs in the top of the third on nine hits. Taussig and Ballin had two hits each in the inning. Taussig blasted a solo homer and a run-scoring single for two RBI.

Records

UTSA 34-10
Texas State 21-24

Coming up

UTSA at South Florida, in the American Athletic Conference, Friday through Sunday
Louisiana-Monroe at Texas State, Sun Belt Conference, Friday through Sunday

Notable

The Roadrunners, sitting at No. 28 in the national RPI going into Tuesday night, have won five in a row. They have 10 games remaining before the conference tournament, and they need only five more victories to tie the program single-season record of 39. If they win six more, they will reach 40 for the first time in school history. After UTSA plays three this weekend at South Florida, the team returns to San Antonio for a mid-week Tuesday matchup at Incarnate Word. The Roadrunners then are set to play three at East Carolina, before they finish with three at home against Rice.

The conference tournament is May 20-25 at Clearwater, Fla. UTSA, with a three-game lead in the AAC on South Florida, is in the hunt for its first regular-season title since 2008. UTSA is also looking for its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2013, which came in its one and only season in the Western Athletic Conference. The Roadrunners will need to win the AAC tournament to clinch the conference’s automatic bid. If they fall short of the tournament championship, their NCAA hopes are not necessarily dashed, but they would need help from the selection committee to get at at-large bid.

As UTSA’s RPI climbs into the 20s, Hallmark calls for a focus on what his team can control

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Certainly, it’s safe to say that the UTSA Roadrunners take a measure of pride in being 27th in NCAA baseball’s latest ratings percentage index.

Pat Hallmark. UTSA rallied from an early 5-1 deficit to beat Florida Atlantic 10-7 in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, March 28, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Pat Hallmark’s UTSA Roadrunners climbed three spots to No. 27 in the NCAA’s ratings percentage index. – File photo by Joe Alexander

In data published Monday, the Roadrunners moved up three spots in the RPI after sweeping three home games from the Memphis Tigers last weekend. And while it could be argued that the only time that the RPI really matters is in late May — during the NCAA committee meetings to decide the 64-team national tournament — it is significant for a team that prides itself on playing well.

For instance, only four programs in the nation outside of the Power 4 conferences have RPIs higher than UTSA. Oregon State is 11th, UC-Irvine 12th, Coastal Carolina 13th and Dallas Baptist 24th. Since Oregon State had been in the Pac-12 for decades before the latest realignment designated them as an independent in baseball, the Roadrunners really rank among only a handful of so-called mid majors in the top 30.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said on his Monday zoom conference with the media that he looks at the RPI because it does matter.

“We feel good about it,” he said. “I think we’d be silly not to feel good about it. But at the same time, we realize that can change. You got to play good ball. So, ultimately we try to lean back to, ‘Hey, what do we control?’ Right? In some ways, we don’t control that RPI. We control the next pitch we throw. We’re going to be the visiting team on Tuesday (at Texas State), so we control the next swing decision we make. That’s truly the only thing we control, is that next swing decision.”

Earlier this month, the Roadrunners climbed to No. 23 in the RPI, which is likely as high as they’ve ever been.

In 2022, they finished 37th after a spirited run in the Conference USA tournament. That year, they beat nationally-ranked tournament host Southern Miss twice before losing to Louisiana Tech in the C-USA title game. As a result, the Roadrunners returned home to San Antonio thinking that would be enough to earn them an at-large bid. It wasn’t enough, as they learned on selection day that they had been left out of the NCAA field.

Hallmark didn’t mention any of that in his visit with the media on Monday morning. But it’s something that likely is on his mind as the Roadrunners take a 33-10 record into San Marcos tomorrow to meet the 21-23 Bobcats, who, for the record, are 73rd in the RPI themselves despite having a mediocre season by their own standards.

As mentioned, the coach of the Roadrunners wants his players to focus mainly on what they can control.

“If we’re good at the things we control, then the RPI and things like that can get to where they are now, and where you want them to be,” Hallmark said. “But if you get too absorbed in that stuff, you lose sight of what really matters, and that’s the things you control — throwing a strike, swinging at a strike, taking a ball, and when we do swing, making them dangerous, violent swings. (Playing) good defense.”

Records

Texas State 21-23
UTSA 33-10

Coming up

UTSA at Texas State (non conference), Tuesday, 6 p.m.
UTSA at South Florida, Friday, 5:30 p.m.
UTSA at South Florida, Saturday, 1 p.m.
UTSA at South Florida, Sunday, noon

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UTSA wins 6-5 in 11 innings to complete an AAC series sweep over Memphis

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The day started with the American Athletic Conference-leading UTSA Roadrunners looking a little out of sorts.

Maybe it was the noon start on a muggy Sunday in San Antonio. Maybe it was a lack of concentration after scoring a combined 29 runs in a pair of run-rule decisions over the past few days. Whatever it was, they fell behind by two in the first inning, and, before anyone knew it, the last-place Memphis Tigers had gained some swagger and momentum.

By the eighth, the visitors looked absolutely salty, surging again into a two-run lead. But it didn’t last long.

The Roadrunners found their groove, scratching out two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie, before they walked it off in the 11th. With the bases loaded and two out, Ty Hodge belted a drive that sailed over centerfielder Cade Greer, bringing home the winning run in a 6-5 victory that gave the Roadrunners a series sweep over the Tigers at Roadrunner Field.

In response, UTSA players chased Hodge into the outfield, whooping it up and celebrating like the kids that they are. All of them enjoying another magic moment in a season that has potential to produce a few more scenes just like this one.

“It was a fun game,” Hodge said. “Obviously, walk offs are always fun. Yeah, it was a good game. They played well. I thought we played pretty well. Just didn’t hit as well as we have the past two days, but that’s baseball. But, yeah, we put ourselves in a position to win at the end. They gave me a good pitch to hit and got the job done.”

Even if the game wasn’t a runaway success like the 12-2 and 17-7 victories on Friday and Saturday, respectively, Hodge and the Roadrunners will take it, especially after digging deep to come back at the end.

“We handled it well,” Hodge said. “Our team’s got a lot of fighters. We’re never out of it. Yeah, extra innings are fun. We were ready for the challenge, and got it done.”

After opening the season in February with a 1-3 record, the Roadrunners (33-10, 15-3 in the AAC) have morphed into a confident bunch of guys with players up and down the lineup and all through the pitching staff contributing. They have won games by lopsided scores. They’ve won the close ones. They’re winning at home (22-2) and on the road (11-8).

Picked to finish fourth in conference, they have played six three-game AAC series and have won them all, including three sweeps, to forge a three-game lead over the second-place South Florida Bulls. Over the next three weeks, UTSA has 11 games to play in the regular season and nine in conference.

As for their next challenge, they’ll play an out-of-conference game Tuesday night on the road against the rival Texas State Bobcats, before they take to the road again to face the Bulls in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 AAC series next weekend.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said his team will be ready to play in the Interstate 35 rivalry right after an emotional series against Memphis and just before it faces the Bulls starting Friday night in Tampa, Fla.

“I don’t mind it,” Hallmark said. “I mean, (the Bobcats) are good. They’re always good. Coach (Steve) Trout does a good job. I know what you’re talking about, with the emotions, just after this emotional game. And then the big games this (next) weekend (in Florida). You worry about a trap game, or something. But we’ll be ready. Texas State will be ready, too.”

In the series finale, Memphis (16-27, 4-14) played the best game of the weekend, by far. Centerfielder Cade Greer went three for five at the plate and robbed Hodge of the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth. With base runners at first and second, Hodge lifted a fly ball into the outfield. Greer may have misplayed it initially, but in recovery, he raced in and dove to catch it.

It was a game-saving play, for sure.

In addition, Justin Fogel went two for four and blasted a solo home run in the top of the eighth that gave Memphis a 5-3 lead. As for the pitching, relievers Davis Oswalt, Will Howell and Brayden Sanders combined to pitch the last eight and a third innings, holding the explosive Roadrunners to four runs on seven hits.

For the Roadrunners, Hodge shined for the third day in a row with a two-for-five performance, driving in two in the process. Norris McClure and Andrew Stucky also had a couple of hits apiece. In power production, Stucky and James Taussig delivered with solo home runs. Stucky pulled one over the left field wall in the third inning and Taussig hammered his third of the series in the fourth.

With UTSA trailing by two entering the bottom of the eighth, McClure started the rally against Howell with a one-out single and advanced on a wild pitch. Hodge followed by stroking an RBI single through the right side. A key sequence ensued with Broc Parmer ripped a Harris fastball down the right field line for an RBI triple to knot the score at 5-5.

Another turning point came when Connor Kelley entered the game to pitch in relief in the ninth. Kelley, pinpointing a fastball clocked as high as 97 mph, retired nine batters in a row through the next three innings. It set the stage for the Roadrunners to win it in the bottom of the 11th, and that’s what happened.

Facing Sanders, freshman Jordan Ballin and Stucky drew back-to-back walks. Getting a little rattled after being called for a pitch-clock violation on a ball-four call, Sanders fired a ball that grazed Norris McClure, a hit-by-pitch that loaded the bases. From there, Hodge did the rest.

After working the count to 3-2, he hit a ball over Greer’s head in center, scoring Ballin with the winning run. As a result, Kelley (2-0) was awarded with the victory. Sanders (0-1) took the loss.

Records

Memphis 16-27, 4-14
UTSA 33-10, 15-3

Coming up

UTSA at Texas State (non conference), Tuesday at 6 p.m.
UTSA at South Florida, Friday
UTSA at South Florida, Saturday
UTSA at South Florida, Sunday

AAC leaders

UTSA 15-3
South Florida 12-6
Charlotte 11-7

JB’s video replay

First-place UTSA expands its lead in the American by powering past Memphis, 17-7, in eight innings

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Ty Hodge, Mason Lytle and James Taussig blasted home runs Saturday as first-place UTSA beat the Memphis Tigers 17-7 in eight innings on the run rule at Roadrunner Field.

Hodge and Taussig both homered for the second straight day.

Hodge, a redshirt junior from College Station, hit a two-run blast in the first and finished with six RBI. Taussig, a 6-6 senior from New York City, walked it off with a three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth.

The Roadrunners have won two straight from the Tigers in the three-game American Athletic Conference series and can complete the sweep with a win Sunday. First pitch is at noon in UTSA’s on-campus stadium.

As an added benefit for UTSA, the AAC’s second-place South Florida Bulls lost at Wichita State, 6-4, which allowed the Roadrunners to open a three-game lead in the conference race.

UTSA took a 13-7 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning and scored four runs to clinch the game on the 10-run rule. Taussig took reliever Logan Stelling deep with a three-run homer over an elevated center field wall, which is 405 feet from home plate.

Hodge entered Game Two of the series coming off a Friday night performance in which he hit the ball hard twice and smashed a grand slam.

He followed it up with a two-for-five performance, highlighted by his no-doubt, two-run homer in a three-run UTSA first inning.

Hodge was also credited with two RBI on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, when the Tigers’ infield made a throwing error on a potential double-play ball. The redshirt junior from College Station added a two-run double in the sixth inning.

Lytle went three for four, scored four runs and boosted his batting average to .401, which ranks among the leaders in the AAC. He slammed a three-run homer, pulling it to left field, in the bottom of the seventh.

Not only did the Roadrunners hit for power on a hot and muggy day on their home field, but they were also were opportunists in stealing five bases. In addition, they capitalized on two errors by the Tigers to score four unearned runs.

UTSA starter Braylon Owens (6-2) picked up the victory in working six and a third innings. Though he gave up five runs on six hits, including two home runs, he also showed good stuff, striking out eight.

For the second straight day, the Roadrunners played error-free baseball on defense. Drew Detlefsen highlighted play on the defensive side with a diving catch in left field.

Dylan Perez, Jake Pitts and Seth Cox all homered for the Tigers, who out-hit the Roadrunners until the last inning. UTSA stroked three hits in the eighth to edge Memphis 11-10 for the game.

The Roadrunners have now won three straight, outscoring opponents 54-16 in that stretch. They have won 32 games on the season, seven shy of the school record. Additionally, the Roadrunners improved to 21-2 at home.

Records

Memphis 16-26, 4-13
UTSA 32-10, 14-3

Coming up

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

Notable

With a chance to win a regular-season title, the Roadrunners have three, three-game conference series remaining. They’ll play next weekend at South Florida and the following week at East Carolina. The Roadrunners close out the regular season with three at home against the Rice Owls from May 15-17. The AAC tournament is set for May 20-25 at the BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.

UTSA also has moved into consideration for an NCAA tournament berth. With an NCAA tournament field of 64 teams, UTSA can assure itself a spot in the bracket if it can win the AAC postseason event in Clearwater for an automatic bid. Also, an at-large bid is a possibility. The Roadrunners were rated 30th nationally coming into the Memphis series on the NCAA’s ratings percentage index (RPI) computer.

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

Baseball: First-place UTSA hits four homers, routs Tulane, 25-7

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Update: UTSA’s Tuesday night game at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has been called off because of poor field conditions brought on by inclement weather.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The first-place UTSA Roadrunners bashed four home runs in an 11-run second inning Saturday en route to their 30th win of the season, a 25-7, run-rule victory in seven innings over the Tulane Green Wave.

For the Roadrunners, the bottom of the second was uniquely productive in that they hit for a home-run cycle of sorts, meaning that they crushed balls out of the park in all four variations — solo, two-run, three-run and grand slam.

Norris McClure hit two of the homers, a two-run shot to center and also a three-run blast to right, and Diego Diaz sliced a ball into the screen in left field for a grand slam. Mason Lytle added a solo shot in the inning. Both McClure and Diaz finished with eight RBI on the day.

After losing at home for only the second time this season on Friday, UTSA rebounded on a day that Tulane’s pitching collapsed, issuing 15 walks, not to mention hitting four batters and throwing three wild pitches.

UTSA took full advantage of the situation by stroking 16 hits, following its 11-run second inning with three runs in the third, four in the fourth and six in the fifth.

With the victory, the Roadrunners (30-10, 12-3) won two of three in the series against the Green Wave and increased their lead in the American Athletic Conference to two games over the South Florida Bulls.

Records

Tulane 24-17, 8-7
UTSA 30-10, 12-3

Coming up

UTSA at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (non conference), Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, Friday, April 25, 6 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, Saturday, April 26. 4 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, Sunday, April 27, noon

Notable

The Roadrunners have won 30 games for the fourth straight season under Coach Pat Hallmark. They won 38 games in both 2022 and 2023 and 32 last season.

The streak matches a run from 2006 through 2009 under Sherman Corbett for consecutive seasons of 30 or more wins.

The Roadrunners have 15 games remaining in the regular season, which includes three-game AAC series against Memphis, South Florida, East Carolina and Rice.

AAC leaders

UTSA 12-3, 30-10
South Florida 10-5, 22-15
Florida Atlantic 9-6, 27-12
East Carolina 9-6, 27-14
Charlotte 9-6, 22-17
Tulane 8-7, 24-17

Baseball: TCU scores in the ninth to beat UTSA, 5-4

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Cole Cramer’s one-out sacrifice fly to right field scored Jack Arthur from third base in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday night, lifting the TCU Horned Frogs to a 5-4 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners in Fort Worth.

TCU righthander Cohen Feser (1-0) from San Antonio earned the victory with three innings of scoreless relief. In the top of the ninth, Feser retired three straight batters to give the Horned Frogs a chance to win it in their last at bat.

On the third out of the inning, UTSA’s Mason Lytle hit it hard to left field, but the ball was knocked down by the wind and caught just inside the warning track.

The Horned Frogs opened the bottom half against a new pitcher, Zach Royse, UTSA’s regular Friday night starter. Karson Bowen led off with a drive to right that got over the head of outfielder James Taussig for a double.

After Arthur entered the game as a pinch runner, Royse struck out Isaac Cadena for the first out.

Then, with Cramer at the plate, Royse appeared to surprise UTSA catcher Andrew Stucky with his location on a pitch that caromed off Stucky’s mitt for a passed ball, allowing Arthur to take third.

Cramer followed by sending a fly ball to deep right that allowed Arthur to score, ending the Roadrunners’ six-game winning streak.

For UTSA, it was a missed opportunity in its effort to win road games this season at Texas A&M, Texas and TCU. The Horned Frogs entered the night rated 33rd on the RPI, with UTSA at No. 41, a season-high.

The Roadrunners’ offense wasn’t great. Horned Frogs pitching held them to eight hits, all singles. But UTSA pitching for the most part threw the ball well, save for five walks that gave the Horned Frogs too many chances.

Six hurlers, including Gunnar Brown, Jake Cothran, Connor Kelley, Christian Okerholm, Robert Orloski and Royse, held the Frogs to 10 hits. Royse (2-4) took the loss.

TCU used six pitchers, as well, including Trever Baumler, San Antonio’s Mason Bixby, Kaden Smith, Zack James, Gianluca Shinn and Feser, a 6-foot-2 redshirt junior from Reagan High School.

Bixby, a 6-7 sophomore from Johnson, pitched two innings and allowed one run on two hits. TCU shortstop Anthony Silva, a junior from Clark, went one for three at the plate and scored a run. He had four infield assists, a key putout and a throwing error.

Bowen and Cadena both went two for five for the Horned Frogs. Cadena slammed a solo homer and a double.

For UTSA, Norris McClure had three of UTSA’s eight hits. The transfer from Division II Spring Hill College in Alabama went three for four and scored a run.

After TCU opened the scoring with three runs in the second, the Roadrunners got one back in the third and then scored three in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead.

During the uprising, UTSA had runners at first and second with nobody out when Bowen, TCU’s catcher, fired to second to pick off McClure. It appeared that McClure beat the initial tag attempt by Silva, only to be tagged again when his momentum carried him off the bag.

Without the perfect throw from Bowen and the heads-up tag by Silva, the Roadrunners might have scored more than three runs and could have had a multiple-run lead.

Instead, the Roadrunners had to settle for the one-run margin going into the bottom of the fifth, and that is when Cadena greeted Kelley with a leadoff shot to right that carried well over the wall, tying the score, 4-4.

Records

UTSA 23-8
TCU 22-8

Coming up

UTSA at UAB, Friday, 5 p.m.
UTSA at UAB, Saturday, 2 p.m.
UTSA at UAB, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Baseball: Fast-rising UTSA ready for another challenge at TCU

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Jordan Ballin.

Jordan Ballin has emerged as one of three freshmen, along with Caden Miller and Nathan Hodge, to make a significant impact on a UTSA team that has started 23-7 with victories over Texas A&M and Texas. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With a 23-7 record, the UTSA Roadrunners have established arguably the best 30-game start in Coach Pat Hallmark’s six years with the program.

After winning on the road at Texas A&M and Texas and starting 5-1 in the American Athletic Conference, they’ll try to add to their body of work tonight when they play a midweek game in Fort Worth against the 21-8 TCU Horned Frogs of the Big 12.

“We’re resilient and persistent, two things we try to be,” UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said. “So we’re prepared, but that doesn’t guarantee you anything. TCU is really good. Kirk Saarloos is a terrific coach. He’s been doing this a long time. He knows what he’s doing.”

The Horned Frogs have started to click with seven wins in their last nine games, including a non-conference road victory at 15th-ranked Dallas Baptist, and a pair of 2-1 Big 12 road series victories over Texas Tech and Houston.

In the most recent ratings percentage index, TCU will enter the game tonight at No. 33 nationally. UTSA is not far behind, slotted in at No. 41, which represents a 30-spot jump from last week.

The Roadrunners made the jump after two straight strong weekends of play in the American. From March 21-23, they won two of three at Charlotte.

Last weekend, they played at home and beat the FAU Owls three straight, coming from behind in each of the victories.

“We can get better on defense, certainly, but (we’re) pleased with the way we played,” Hallmark said.

In the Horned Frogs, the Roadrunners will be facing a midweek challenge that is likely every bit as tough as the Aggies or the Longhorns. TCU is 7-0 in midweek games this season and is 14-0 in midweek home games dating back to 2023.

“Their arms will be really good,” Hallmark said. “They’ll have as good of pitching as anyone we’ve faced. But we’ll be ready. I think we’ll be prepared.”

The Roadrunners are starting to play so well that some have drawn comparisons to Hallmark’s standout teams in 2022 and 2023. Both years, UTSA won 38 games, one win shy of the school record.

In 2022, the Roadrunners rolled out a 30-game start of 19-11, which included a home win over second-ranked Stanford and a road victory at TCU. In 2023, they started 23-7, with the best wins in non-conference coming at home over Houston and on the road at Baylor.

The ’22 team was an offensive juggernaut powered by Leyton Barry, Chase Keng and Ryan Flores. The Roadrunners had nine players batting .300 or better. Luke Malone, who went 9-3 and finished with a 2.67 earned run average, paced a deep pitching staff.

At the end of the season, they got hot and nearly won the Conference USA tournament, beating nationally-ranked Southern Miss twice on its home field before losing in the title game to Louisiana Tech.

In 2023, the Roadrunners had seven players hitting .300 or better, led by Antonio Valdez at .387. Moreover, they also hit 78 home runs.

Paced by Malone and ace reliever Simon Miller, the ’23 team hit its stride late in the C-USA regular season, moving into the Top 25 of multiple national polls in March and early April.

After finishing second in the C-USA at 21-8, the Roadrunners were ousted from the double-elimination tournament after two games. Neither team, in either 2022 or 2023, received an NCAA at-large bid.

This season, the Roadrunners have five regulars batting .300 or better, led by Mason Lytle’s .391. Lytle ranks eighth in NCAA Division I with 50 hits. Newcomer Drew Detlefsen ranks among national leaders in home runs (eight) and RBI (48).

Pitching, perhaps deeper than it has been in previous years, is anchored by starters Zach Royse, Braylon Owens and Conor Myles. Robert Orloski is 7-0 with one save out of the bullpen.

Hallmark said he hasn’t thought much about how his two 38-win teams might compare to this one except to say that a few years ago the Roadrunners were led by older, mature leaders such as Jonathan Tapia, Ian Bailey and Chase Keng (in 2022) and Luke Malone (in 2022 and 2023).

The current team’s level of maturity is similar, the coach said, even though it relies heavily on freshmen such as Jordan Ballin, Caden Miller and Nathan Hodge.

“Athletically,” he said, “I think we might be a tick more athletic this year. We have a good combination of physical kids that can really move pretty good, which you don’t always see at a mid major.

“Then I think our pitching may be similar, with older, more experienced pitchers,” he said. “Guys like Luke Malone were the leaders of those (previous) teams.

“Braylon Owens is one of our leaders (this year). He’s older. He’s been around. So, some similarities in the pitching, (with) strike throwers.”

Records

UTSA 23-7
TCU 21-8

Coming up

UTSA at TCU, tonight, 6 p.m.
UTSA at UAB, Friday, 5 p.m.
UTSA at UAB, Saturday, 2 p.m.
UTSA at UAB, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Baseball: UTSA wins 7-6 to sweep three from Florida Atlantic

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA scored two runs in the seventh and one in the ninth Sunday to beat the Florida Atlantic University Owls, 7-6, sweeping a three-game series in the American Athletic Conference at Roadrunner Field.

Pat Hallmark.

Coach Pat Hallmark’s UTSA Roadrunners improved to 23-7 overall and 5-1 in conference with a three-game sweep of the FAU Owls. – File photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig, who was celebrating his birthday, accounted for the last three UTSA runs. In the seventh, he delivered with a two-out, two-run double to right.

In the ninth, with the bases loaded, he singled and drove in the winning run from third.

For the third straight day, the Roadrunners fell into an early hole, climbed out of it and won the game.

On Sunday, the Owls led 2-1 in the fourth and built a 6-3 advantage after a four-run fifth.

From there, UTSA’s relief pitching and defense took over, shutting down out the Owls in four straight innings.

After reliever Kendall Dove gave up a two-run homer in the fifth, he settled down and pitched into the eighth, when center fielder Mason Lytle made a key play by throwing out a runner on the bases.

After UTSA lefty Jake Cothran faced one batter, Gunnar Brown got the last out and then worked a clean ninth inning.

Records

FAU 19-9, 2-4
UTSA 23-7, 5-1

Coming up

UTSA at TCU, Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Notable

FAU’s John Schroeder hit a solo home run to center off UTSA starter Conor Myles in the second inning. It was his second homer in two days at Roadrunner Field. FAU’s Jake Millan blasted a three-run homer off Kendall Dove in the fifth.

The Roadrunners have started conference play with series victories over teams that beat them last May in the AAC tournament.

Last May, UTSA took a No. 2 seed into the tournament in Clearwater, Fla., and lost to Charlotte, 9-5, in 12 innings. The next day, UTSA lost to FAU, 12-5, to end its season 0-2 in the double elimination format.

Last week, they opened AAC play by winning two out of three on the road at Charlotte and then followed by taking all three at home against FAU. UTSA’s last series sweep in conference play came a year ago, to the week, last March 28-30 on the road at Tulane.

Baseball: UTSA clinches AAC series victory over Florida Atlantic

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Ty Hodge.

Ty Hodge makes a play at shortstop Saturday as UTSA defeats the FAU Owls 7-3 at Roadrunner Field, beating the visitors twice in two days and improving to 22-7 on the season. UTSA is 4-1 in the American Athletic Conference. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Drew Detlefsen belted two home runs and carried UTSA past the FAU Owls 7-3 on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field, clinching a series victory over one of the top-rated teams in the American Athletic Conference.

Both teams entered the series ranked among the AAC’s best in the NCAA Division I baseball RPI. UTSA was No. 71 nationally and FAU was No. 78, so the Roadrunners have likely earned some respect after coming from behind twice in two days to win.

On Friday, they fell behind 5-1 but rallied to claim a 10-7 victory. On Saturday, FAU jumped out to a 3-0 lead but could not hold off UTSA. Detlefsen and Caden Miller led the charge. Detlefsen hit a solo homer in the fourth and a three-run shot in the seventh.

Miller had sacrifice flies in the fifth and the seventh.

Starting pitcher Braylon Owens worked four innings and gave up three runs, giving way to relievers Christian Okerholm, Connor Kelley and Rob Orloski, who combined to shut out the explosive Owls the rest of the way.

Okerholm started the fifth inning and yielded three hits in 2 and 2/3. Kelley (1-0) earned his first victory of the season, striking out two and keeping FAU hitless for 1 and 1/3. Orloski pitched a clean ninth with one strikeout.

Righthander Tyler Murphy (2-2) took the loss, though he pitched well in stretches, going six innings, giving up four runs and eight hits.

Marshall Lypsey and Jake Duer, two of the top hitters in the AAC, had two hits each for the Owls. John Schroeder clubbed a two-run homer off Owens in the third inning to give FAU a 3-0 lead.

Records

FAU 19-8, 2-3
UTSA 22-7, 4-1

Coming up

FAU at UTSA, Sunday at noon
UTSA at TCU, Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Notable

Detlefsen, a junior college transfer from Dodge City (Kan.) Community College, is batting .355 for the season. He leads the Roadrunners with eight home runs and 48 RBI in 29 games. He’s been hot this week with seven hits in 14 at bats, with three doubles and two homers. In a game against Texas State Tuesday, he exploded for four hits and seven RBI. He had four RBI on Saturday against FAU.