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

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