Caden Miller scores on Drew Detlefsen’s three-run double in the bottom of the second inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Playing in the shadow of a new scoreboard above the left field wall, the UTSA Roadrunners obliged by lighting it up on its first day in use Friday afternoon in an 11-3 victory over the South Florida Bulls.

UTSA’s Caden Miller comes up smiling after scoring on a head-first slide. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Roommates and team offensive standouts Drew Detlefsen and Andrew Stucky did the honors in leading the charge.

Detlefsen crashed a three-run double to highlight a four-run second inning and Stucky added a monstrous home run — a three-run shot — in the fourth.

When Stucky’s blast cleared the wall just to the left of the batters’ eye in center field, it just kept on going, with the computerized data indicating that it traveled 431 feet.

As it landed, the Roadrunners had secured a 7-2 lead and firm control of the first game in a three-game series with the Bulls.

Stucky acknowledged afterward that UTSA players sensed the fans’ anticipation of the board’s installation.

“I know we definitely saw it on social media,” he said. “Once it was finally up, and we showed up at the field – I think it was Wednesday – we kind of turned into little kids.”

Was there a group selfie?

“I don’t think we did (it) yet,” he said, smiling. “But we probably should. That would be funny.”

Even more fun was the fact that the Roadrunners reached double figures in runs for the 17th time in 34 games this season.

In trying to explain the team’s productivity on offense, Stucky said he thinks it’s because of players’ versatility.

“I think it’s just (because) we can score in different ways,” he said. “Today, early on, we were drawing a lot of walks. Kind of being patient, which turned into runs.

“Some of the innings we had the homers or the doubles, and all that, that’s mainly it. We can score in different ways. Which is helpful.”

With one out in the fourth, South Florida starter Edwin Alicea hit Detlefsen with a pitch. UTSA’s Garrett Stucky followed by drawing a walk.

At that point, South Florida coach Mitch Hannahs visited the mound. Ultimately, Alicea would be replaced with righthander Jonah Sarabia to pitch to the right-side swinging Stucky.

“I didn’t really know much about him,” Stucky said. “So, I was just really trying to get a good pitch to hit. He kind of fell behind in the count (at 2-1). So, at that point, I was just looking for a fastball.

“He gave it to me, and I was making sure I didn’t miss it.”

Records

South Florida 24-9, 5-5
UTSA 24-10, 7-3

Coming up

South Florida at UTSA, Saturday, 2 p.m.
South Florida at UTSA, Sunday, 1 p.m.
(times are subject to change)

Notable

Gunnar Brown started and pitched four innings and Connor Kelley, who got the win, finished by hurling the last five.

Kelley (2-1) looked particularly sharp in shutting out the Bulls on two hits. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter. Edwin Alicea (5-3) took the loss. Alicea lasted only three and a third innings.

He walked four and hit five batters with pitches. In all, Bulls pitching walked seven, totaled six hit by pitch and threw one wild pitch.

Drew Detlefsen had one hit, a three-run double, in four at bats. His batting average is .400 after the 34th game of the season. Stucky went one for two, including his 10th homer. Both finished with three RBI.

There it is. The new video board. South Florida vs. UTSA, at Roadrunner Field, 2 p.m. https://t.co/hyCDEtJ4sq pic.twitter.com/jjeotcGZth

— Jerry Briggs (@JerryBriggs) April 10, 2026