Connor Kelley pitched six scoreless innings of relief in a 13-7 victory over Wichita State Saturday afternoon. UTSA won the second game 8-1 to assume a one-game lead on the East Carolina Pirates in the American Conference title race. – Photo by Joe Alexander
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
In the middle innings of Saturday’s nightcap to a baseball doubleheader at Roadrunner Field, the public address announcer dutifully reported results of other games around the American Conference.
Notably, he told a crowd of 1,072 fans that UTSA’s closest competitors in the race for the championship had both lost, leaving the Roadrunners with an opportunity to gain ground in their quest for back-to-back titles.
The Roadrunners took care of their end of the deal, beating the Shockers 13-7 in an afternoon game and 8-1 at night to assume sole possession of first place in the race.
Southpaw Conor Myles gave up a run in seven innings as the Roadrunners claimed an 8-1 win in Saturday’s nightcap. – File photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA leads East Carolina by one game and UAB by two with everyone having seven to play in conference.
Hallmark said he didn’t know what happened around the league until reporters told him after the game.
“I just learned it when you said it,” Hallmark said at the end of a long day at the ball park on Saturday night. “That’s good. I’m glad of that … At the end of the day, I know everybody wants to win. Like, the fan-base wants to win, and we want to win, too.
“But it’s about playing good baseball.”
For Hallmark, that means his team is making one or fewer errors, with the pitching holding the opposition to three walks or less and the hitters striking out five times or less. Also, just “fighting with the bat” to stay alive with two strikes.
“I thought we did all of that in the second game,” Hallmark said. “In the first game, we weren’t quite as clean, so, when we do those things, we tend to win our share.”
Rain washed out play on Friday, forcing officials to schedule the first two games of the Wichita State series on Saturday.
By winning twice, the Roadrunners clinched their seventh series against conference competition this season and their 18th straight since May of 2024.
UTSA can claim its first sweep of a series in the American this season if it can win the finale on Sunday.
Hallmark said he doesn’t know what a victory on Sunday would do for the team’s psyche going down the stretch.
Wichita State catcher Ethan Gonzalez 2026. – photo by Joe Alexander
“The guys that play, the Jordan Ballins, (Andrew) Stucky, the (Caden) Millers, the (Connor) Kelleys, the (Sam) Simmons, there’s no psyche,” he said. “They’re right. It ain’t going to hurt or help their psyche.
“They’re just right. They’re tough people. They’ve been … to a Super Regional. But … we’re in a pennant race. We’re in a championship race. So, like, they all matter. We got seven left. They all matter, and if you get one tomorrow, it’s one more that East Carolina or UAB can’t catch you.
“It’s wonderful we get to talk about (this with) the media, and the coach, the players, that we get to talk about championships and all that stuff. Nowhere I’d rather be.”
Reminded that the Roadrunners had wrapped up a share of the American title at this time last season, Hallmark grinned and said, “Yeah, we did. We don’t this year, though.”
American leaderboard
UTSA 14-6, 32-14
East Carolina 13-7, 29-18-1
UAB 12-8, 28-18
Rice 10-10, 28-20
Wichita State 10-10, 26-22
FAU 10-10, 24-22
Coming up
Wichita State at UTSA, Sunday, 1 p.m.
Notable
In Saturday’s opener, the Roadrunners were fortunate to win, in a sense that they made three errors in the field in addition to some other foibles. On the mound, they issued four walks and hit two batters. And at the plate, they struck out 10 times and left 11 runners on.
UTSA infielder Diego Diaz played both of Saturday’s games at third base after sitting out Tuesday with a cut on his throwing hand. – File photo by Joe Alexander
On the bases, they got picked off at second.
So, it wasn’t a pretty sight for much of the game as they jumped out to a 6-3 lead after one inning and then fell behind 7-6 by the end of the fourth. In the nightcap, they played a much cleaner game. Didn’t make an error and struck out only six times.
Tied 1-1 with the Shockers after five innings, they erupted for three runs in the sixth and four in the eighth to win going away.
In retrospect, there were at least a couple of common threads in both games. In both, the bottom of the batting order punished the Shockers. Also in both, UTSA had one pitcher throw for at least six innings.
Connor Kelley in Game 1 pitched out of the bullpen and worked six frames. The big righty allowed no runs and only three hits with two walks while striking out five. In Game 2, Conor Myles was brilliant, working seven innings. The lefty from Australia allowed one run on four hits and zero walks, with eight strikeouts.
The two players have been pillars of the pitching staff most of the season, but particularly since the end of March.
“You know, it’s great,” UTSA outfielder Drew Detlefsen said. “They’re really reliable arms for us, and they’re great leaders on the mound even for the younger players. I hope they keep doing it, going forward, going into postseason. So, yeah, they’re doing great.”
Myles has now pitched seven innings to beat the Shockers two years in a row. On Saturday, he also matched his career high in strikeouts.
Jordan Ballin had five RBIs in Saturday’s doubleheader. He has hit safely in his last nine games with 13 hits in 27 at bats during the streak. – File photo by Joe Alexander
He said it’s partially coincidence that he’s performed well against them and partially due to the motivation he feels when they talk “mess” in the dugout.
“They like getting a little chirpy,” he said. “They were getting chirpy most of the game. I don’t know why. They weren’t really doing much. I guess that’s probably why they were trying to talk some mess. It just gives me a little extra. Like, I want to dominate against them just to shut ’em up.”
Myles has surrendered only three earned runs in 36 and one third innings over his last six starts. Hallmark said he’ll never take for granted what he does for the team.
“It’s not that easy to do what he’s done all year, which is pound the zone, the strike zone, and make that other team swing the bat,” the coach said. “But, he makes throwing strikes look easy. It’s what we ask of him. We just ask him to throw strikes with multiple pitches.”
Offensively, the Roadrunners have been getting a jolt of production lately from the bottom of the batting order. Diego Diaz doubled and tripled and had three RBIs in the first game. In the nightcap, he moved up to fifth in the order and went one for four.
Jordan Ballin, meanwhile, batted eighth in both games against the Shockers. In the opener, he had a hit and three RBIs. In the nightcap, the sophomore from Boerne Champion reached base three times, had a hit, two runs and two more RBIs.
In addition, Aidan Eshelman had two hits and two RBIs in the nightcap.
“You get a lineup with depth, that’s what we had last year,” Hallmark said. “That’s what we look like we’re starting to have with Jordan. He’s been hot now for several weeks. And, Eshelman, you’ve seen it.
“…We’ve talked about how he’s growing up,” Hallmark said. “I’m not going to say he’s grown up. But you’re not really surprised any more when Eshelman has a good at bat, in the clutch. It’s like, I’ve seen him do that before.
Freshman Aidan Eshelman (right) is starting to add offensive production to a strong profile as a defender at shortstop. – File photo by Joe Alexander
“It’s a positive sign. That’s basically what you’re saying. It’s not a surprise any more that they have games like this. So, that’s great. They’re capable. They are capable of carrying us. It’s not always going to be Detlefsen and (Caden) Miller and Lane (Haworth).
“I agree. You get the bottom of the lineup driving in runs and getting on base and you’re in that other dugout. It’s like, crap. Now I’ve got Miller and the crew coming up.”
On the mend
Drew Detlefsen, slowed with a hamstring injury, played in left field for the first time Saturday night after four straight starts as a designated hitter.
Detlefsen had four hits in 11 at bats in the two games. He scored three runs in Game 1 and drove in two in Game 2. He said later he feels he is about 80 percent healthy.
On Tuesday night, Diego Diaz sat out at home against Incarnate Word with a cut on his hand. He returned to the starting lineup on Saturday and played both games.
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High-flying UTSA guard Tai’Reon Joseph finishes off a slam against the Wichita State Shockers. – Photo by Joe Alexander