By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners fell behind twice Friday night but rallied both times, eventually storming to a 19-9, run-rule victory over the UAB Blazers, as they clinched at least a tie for the American Conference baseball title.

Officials called the game after UAB’s at bat in the top of the seventh on the run rule.

With the victory and the championship, the Roadrunners have now won the American two years in a row.

Last year, they did it in dominant fashion, winning 23 of 27 games in conference on the way to a school-record 47 victories and a trip to the NCAA Super Regional.

This year, they have recorded a 36-18 overall record, 17-9 in the American, leading into Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Blazers.

The East Carolina Pirates, at 32-21-1 and 16-10, still have a chance to tie for the top spot if they can win and the Roadrunners lose on the final day.

But even if that happens, Roadrunners would be regarded as co-champions and would be the No. 1 seed in next week’s American Conference tournament.

East Carolina beat the FAU Owls, 6-1, on Friday night to stay within one game of UTSA in the standings.

In an interview with ESPN after the game, an emotional seventh-year UTSA head coach Pat Hallmark acknowledged how much pride he felt in his players. He agreed that it was a special moment.

“We’re very grateful,” he said. “Just grateful for the players.”

For UTSA players and coaches, emotions have run the gamut over the past few weeks.

They lost two out of three last weekend in Memphis, the first time all season that they dropped a series in the conference.

Returning home, they run-ruled the regional rival Texas State Bobcats 19-4 Tuesday night in non-conference play, only to have the outcome marred by a postgame altercation between Hallmark and Texas State coaches.

On Wednesday, UTSA released a statement, with athletic director Lisa Campos calling the coach’s conduct after the game “unacceptable.” Also in the statement, Hallmark apologized to UTSA, its fans and the Texas State program.

One night later, on Thursday, the Roadrunners hosted the Blazers in the first game of the season-ending series with a chance to clinch at least a share of the title.

But the Blazers made some sterling plays in the field and hit a couple of home runs to win 7-6, keeping the Roadrunners from celebrating.

In the end, the celebration came Friday night after UTSA pounded out 19 hits, including eight for extra bases.

Individually, Both Diego Diaz and Jacob Silva socked two home runs apiece, with Diaz connecting on a first-inning grand slam.

Both talked about their emotions in post-game interviews with ESPN.

“I don’t know,” said Diaz, who also had a double on a three-hit, six RBI night. “I’m just seeing the ball well and trusting in the work that I’ve done.”

Added Silva, a transfer from TCU who played San Antonio Clark High School, “It’s a great feeling.”

Silva’s performance in the clincher was sweet after he didn’t see much playing time last year at TCU.

“The only thing I can ask for is an opportunity,” he said. “I thank coach (Pat) Hallmark and coach (Ryan) Aguayo and my teammates for having my back.”

Other UTSA players enjoyed monster nights, as well. Drew Detlefsen had four hits. Jordan Ballin tied Diaz with three base knocks apiece.

RBI leaders included Diaz with six, Silva with four and Caden Miller with three.

Everyone in the lineup scored at least once as UTSA picked up ace pitcher Conor Myles, who was rocked for nine runs in three and two thirds innings.

Myles entered the game with a 2.45 earned run average. When he exited, the Blazers held a 9-7 lead and had hit three home runs, one each by JP Head, Landon Beaver and Max Price.

UTSA fans fell silent in the fourth when Myles walked off the mound, replaced by Mike DeBattista. A few minutes later, they were roaring once again as the Roadrunners scored five in the bottom half of the inning.

They added another five in the fifth to make it 17-9. In the bottom of the sixth, the Roadrunners scored two more runs for the 10-run margin on Silva’s second homer of the night and Christian Hallmark’s RBI triple.

How it happened

The first inning, in itself, was an adventure.

With one out in the top half, UAB blasted back-to-back homers, courtesy of JP Head and Landon Beaver off UTSA ace Conor Myles.

After an error by UTSA third baseman Diego Diaz allowed a base runner to reach, Myles retired two straight to end the threat.

In the bottom half, the Roadrunners answered with a five-run, outburst off UAB starter Carter Samuelson.

Samuelson dug himself a hole by walking Caden Miller, yielding a single to Drew Detlefsen and walking Lane Haworth to load the bases.

The UAB starter continued to struggle with command, walking Andrew Stucky to force in UTSA’s first run.

With the bases still loaded, Diaz jerked a 1-0 fastball to right field for a grand slam and a 5-2 lead.

Myles settled down in the top of the second, retiring three straight batters to set up more fireworks from his teammates.

UAB reliever Riley Miller, who put out the first inning fire, found trouble immediately in the second as Detlefsen cranked a double into the right-center field gap.

After Miller sat down the next two batters to face him, he encountered Diaz, who took an 0-2 pitch to the opposite field.

When it sailed into the screen over the left field wall for a two-run homer, the Roadrunners had jumped out to a 7-2 lead.

Who would have guessed that it would be the beginning of a monster comeback by the Blazers?

Well, it was.

In the third, the Blazers started the rally inconspicuously enough with one run an RBI single by Beaver.

By the fourth, it became a landslide. UAB started the inning with four straight hits off Myles, including an RBI single by Wesley Helms and a three-run homer by Max Price.

The Blazers weren’t finished. After Baylor Roberts reached on a hit by pitch, Kevin Hall Jr. slashed an RBI double for the go-ahead run. Hall subsequently scored on a wild pitch to give UAB a 9-7 lead.

From there, UTSA decided to make a pitching change, bringing in Mike DeBattista to get the last out.

Myles entered the game with 2.48 earned run average. He finished his day by working three and two thirds innings and yielding a season-high nine runs (all earned) on eight hits.

Down by two runs, UTSA staged a furious rally of its own.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Jacob Silva launched a two-run homer to center field off reliever Konner Keplinger.

Brendan Conner replaced Keplinger but couldn’t slow down the Roadrunners.

After Conner issued a walk to Christian Hallmark and Aidan Eshelman singled, Miller pulled a two-run single into right field.

Detlefsen’s third hit of the night drove in the fifth run of the inning and made it 12-9 UTSA.

By the fifth inning, UAB’s bullpen was beginning to show wear and tear as the Roadrunners scored five runs in an inning for the third time in the game.

The last three runs scored with two outs on RBI singles from Eshelman, Miller and Haworth. When Haworth stroked a ball to center field, Miller came around to score and made it 17-9.

Highlighting UTSA’s sixth inning, Silva homered to center and Christian Hallmark legged out an RBI triple for the final margin.

Records

UAB 30-24, 14-12
UTSA 36-18, 17-9

Coming up

UAB at UTSA, Saturday, 11 a.m.
American Conference tournament, May 20-24, in Clearwater, Fla.