SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA Baseball team is set to host Pac-12 opponent Utah for a three-game series this Friday through Sunday. Friday's first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT, while Saturday's game is at 2 p.m. and Sunday's series finale starts at 1 p.m. All three games will be available to watch on CUSA.tv for free.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
Leyton Barry leads the Roadrunners with a .415 batting average, notching a conference-best 17 hits. Antonio Valdez has a .400 batting average with 14 hits, 10 runs, 15 RBI, three doubles and two triples. Sporting a .366 batting average, Shane Sirdashney leads the C-USA with 17 runs scored.
On the mound, Luke Malone leads the Roadrunners with a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings of work across two starts, allowing just one run. Other key performers include Simon Miller (conference best 3-0 record and one save, 1.00 ERA, 13 K's in 9.0 IP), Daniel Garza (2-0 record, 1.54 ERA, 12 K's in 11.2 IP) and Ulises Quiroga (1-0 record, 4.50 ERA, 9K's in 10.0 IP).
In the conference, the Roadrunners lead with six total triples and .60 triples per game. The Roadrunners have a conference-best 101 hits. Barry and Valdez's two triples is tied for the league-high. Garza and Quiroga have a 0.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 0.00 walks allowed per nine innings, leading the conference in those categories.
LAST WEEK FOR THE ROADRUNNERS
After two midweek wins this week, the Roadrunners improved to 8-2 overall and extended their winning streak to five games. UTSA defeated Baylor, 8-3, in Waco, Texas, on Tuesday night, before returning home to defeat crosstown rival UIW by 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Against Baylor on Tuesday, the Bears scored first in the first inning. After the Roadrunners struggled to read Baylor's starting pitcher for the first few innings, UTSA exploded for five runs in the fourth inning. Leyton Barry led the Roadrunners with a 4-for-5 performance with a run, a RBI and a double. Drake Smith earned his first win, only allowing one run on three hits in 3.0 innings pitched. Daniel Shafer earned his first save as he fanned three and allowed a run on two hits in four innings of work.
Hosting UIW on Wednesday, the Roadrunners and Cardinals battled through a pitcher's duel. For six innings, the score was tied at 1-1 until Antonio Valdez stole home for UTSA's go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Sammy Diaz led the Roadrunners as he went 2-for-4 at the plate. Starting pitcher Ryan Ward went three innings and allowed just one run on two hits while striking out two batters. Freshman Ruger Riojas continues to dazzle as he pitched the middle three innings and kept the Cardinals scoreless on just a single hit with a career-high six strikeouts. Simon Miller shut down UIW in the final three innings, allowing three hits and fanning three batters, to earn his third win of the season (3-0).
MEDAL FOR MILLER
Junior Simon Miller earned the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week honors this week, his first weekly honor in his career as a Roadrunner.
Miller played a significant role in UTSA's 4-1 record last week, earning a win and a save for the Roadrunners. Coming in to pitch two innings of relief in UTSA's 12-2 seven-inning "mercy rule" win over Houston on Feb. 22, Miller allowed no runs on just two hits while striking out one batter. He earned the win in this game, his second of the season (2-0).
The Canton, Texas, native came in to pitch in the sixth inning of the first game of a Saturday doubleheader against Saint Mary's with UTSA leading by 10-8 and shut down the Gaels as he allowed no runs on zero hits with five strikeouts. The 11-8 win immediately gave the Roadrunners momentum in the series, winning their first game against the Gaels and eventually moving on to take three of four games for the series victory. He kept the opponents to a .105 batting average in his two outings this week.
SCOUTING THE UTES
Utah has started the season with a 4-4 record, after going 3-1 last weekend in the Kleberg Bank College Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Utes are coming off two straight wins against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 7-6 on Sunday and 6-3 on Monday. Utah was voted to finish last (11th) in the Pac-12 Conference Preseason Poll. Junior catcher/infielder Davis Cop was named to the preseason all-conference team.
Elijha Hammill leads the Utes with a .333 batting average, going 9-for-27 at the plate with seven runs, six RBI, a double, triple and a home run. TJ Clarkson has a .276 batting average, along with 10 RBI, six runs, three doubles and three home runs. On the mound, Micah Ashman leads the team with a 2.00 ERA in four appearances, striking out 10 batters in 9.0 innings pitched.
SERIES HISTORY VS UTAH
The Utes have a 4-3 advantage in the all-time series over the Roadrunners. UTSA hosted Utah on March 3-5, 2017 for a three-game series as the Utes won two of the three games.
FUEL TO THE FIVE
The Roadrunners were picked to finish fifth in the Conference USA, after a phenomenal season in 2022 in which UTSA broke multiple program records and advanced to the C-USA Championship game. Defending champion Louisiana Tech was voted to finish first. C-USA newcomer Dallas Baptist was picked to finish second, followed by Florida Atlantic at third and Charlotte at fourth.
DON'T STOP THEM NOW
Daniel Shafer and Simon Miller were both named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List. Daniel Shafer was UTSA's main closer/high-leverage reliever in 2022. The Willis, Texas, native went 3-1 in 16 appearances for the Roadrunners, before a season-ending injury in April. In 27.1 innings pitched, he struck out 38 batters while walking just 13. Of C-USA returners, Shafer had the third-most saves (5) in the conference last season.
Simon Miller posted a 4-3 record (second-most wins on the team) through 18 appearances in relief. In 36.0 innings, he allowed just 18 runs on 24 hits, while striking out 47 batters in that span. The Canton, Texas, native became the Roadrunners' go-to closer/high-leverage pitcher in the second half of the season when injuries affected the bullpen. Miller helped UTSA to an 8-3 record in his final 11 appearances.
PRESEASON 'RUNNERS
A conference-best four Roadrunners earned preseason honors, tied with Charlotte as the only two teams with four preseason honorees. The four honorees are Leyton Barry, Luke Malone, Daniel Shafer and Simon Miller.
Leyton Barry led the Roadrunners with an impressive .343 batting average in 2022, his second straight season leading UTSA in batting average. The Houston, Texas, made 53 starts in 56 games played, playing at second base and shortstop. He totaled 49 runs and 38 RBI with 79 hits. Barry was the difference maker in UTSA's upset over No. 2 Stanford as he cranked out the walk-off hit to win the game. He notched 24 multi-hit games, including 12 games in which he had at least three hits.
Luke Malone was voted to the All-Tournament Team and All-Conference First Team last season after a breakout season as UTSA's Friday night ace. With an ERA of 2.61 and nine wins last season, Malone led the C-USA in 2022 amongst returning players. His nine wins was also the second-most in a single season in UTSA program history. Established himself as the Roadrunners' Friday night starter, earning 11 starts in 19 appearances while collecting a 9-3 record and two saves. The Round Rock, Texas, native led the team with 87.2 innings pitched, allowing only 35 runs on 81 hits throughout the 2022 campaign. Amongst returning players in the C-USA, Malone owned the second-best opponent batting average (.240).
ON DECK
The Roadrunners head to San Marcos, Texas, to face Texas State for a Battle of I-35 showdown on Tuesday, March 7. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT at Bobcat Ballpark
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