UTSA senior righthander Daniel Garza pitched four innings in middle relief, giving up three runs while striking out five. – Photo by Joe Alexander
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
Relief pitcher Fischer Kingsbery came to the rescue, retiring two straight batters in the the ninth inning with the potential tying run at first base, as UTSA held off the Wichita State Shockers 6-5 Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners won the opener of a three-game series in the American Athletic Conference despite giving up two solo home runs in the ninth and getting out-hit, 12-7.
James Taussig makes a play in right field on a night when the Roadrunners played error-free baseball – Photo by Joe Alexander
Lane Haworth led off the inning by cranking his second homer of the game, this one off UTSA relief ace Ruger Riojas. One out later, Derek Williams re-directed another pitch from Riojas over the wall to bring the Shockers to within one run.
After Riojas walked Dayvin Johnson, UTSA coach Pat Hallmark made a change. He brought in Kingsbery to end the threat. Kingsbery responded by retiring Mauricio Millan on a fly ball to right. Jaden Gustafson made the last out, bouncing to the second baseman.
With the win, second-place UTSA stayed within two games of the streaking, first-place East Carolina Pirates in the AAC race. Earlier in the evening, the Pirates won 11-1 in seven innings on the run rule over the South Florida Bulls. It was their ninth straight victory.
Meanwhile, on the UTSA campus, both the Roadrunners and the Shockers were locked in a 1-1 tie with one out in the bottom of the sixth when rain forced umpires to stop the game and wave teams off the field. UTSA had the bases loaded at the time. The game was delayed by about a half an hour.
UTSA third baseman Hector Rodriguez contorts his body after fielding a ground ball and fires to first base. – Photo by Joe Alexander
When it started again, the Shockers had changed pitchers, with lefty Hunter Holmes in the game. The Roadrunners responded by going with a pinch-hitter, Tye Odom, who had not played for almost a month nursing an ankle sprain. Odom grounded to the right side for a 2-run single.
The ball high-hopped to the second baseman, who appeared to lose his footing and then did not field it cleanly.
With the Wichita State infielder having trouble picking it up, Odom made it safely to first base while both Alex Olivo and James Taussig scored. Olivo scored easily from third and Taussig, remarkably, came all the way around from second, lifting the Roadrunners into a 3-1 lead.
Records
Wichita State 22-26, 8-11
UTSA 27-18, 13-6
Coming up
Wichita State at UTSA, Saturday, 2 p.m.
Wichita State at UTSA, Sunday, 1 p.m.
JB’s video replay
Zach Royse fans Wichita State's Derek Williams to complete a 1-2-3 first inning. UTSA coming to bat in the B1. https://t.co/hyCDEtJ4sq pic.twitter.com/SlKdPhkfpl
— Jerry Briggs (@JerryBriggs) May 3, 2024
UTSA starter Zach Royse fans Wichita State’s Derek Williams to complete a 1-2-3 top of the first.
Wichita State freshman Tommy LaPour has a no-hitter with eight strikeouts through four innings. Shockers lead the UTSA Roadrunners, 1-0. https://t.co/hyCDEtJ4sq pic.twitter.com/IYloV5zfwY
— Jerry Briggs (@JerryBriggs) May 4, 2024
Wichita State freshman Tommy LaPour gets a strikeout at the end of the fourth inning. He had a no hitter and a shutout at the time. LaPour yielded three runs on four hits in 5 and 2/3 innings. He struck out nine.
Hector Rodriguez hits a sacrifice fly in the B5 to drive in UTSA's first run. Isaiah Walker scores from third. https://t.co/hyCDEtJ4sq pic.twitter.com/UU1fa3IKSH
— Jerry Briggs (@JerryBriggs) May 4, 2024
UTSA’s Hector Rodriguez flares a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring teammate Isaiah Walker from third, to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth.