| May 15, 2004
Contact: Erin Molina (210) 458-4930 UTSA completes sweep of Sam Houston State, 9-8, moves into fourth place in the Southland Box Score
SAN ANTONIO – UTSA senior Lucas Stewart and junior Chris Lewis each homered for the second time in as many days and drove in four runs apiece leading UTSA to a series sweep of Sam Houston State with a 9-8 win Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
The win pushes UTSA’s record to 27-26 overall and 12-11 in the SLC, good for fourth place in the standings with three regular season games remaining.
The Bearkats took a temporary 2-0 lead in the top of the first with Andrew Kasparek and Jonathan Stone both driving in runs. UTSA was quick to answer in the bottom half on Stewart’s two-run blast that bounced off the roof of the dorm located beyond the left field wall after Michael McKennon singled aboard.
The Runners moved ahead 6-2 in the third starting with Stewart driving in his third run of the game with a single that plated Lee Todesco. Lewis was next to the plate launching a first-pitch three-run home run to extend UTSA’s lead.
Matt Emerson led off the SHSU fourth with a home of his own and Roy Merritt’s run scored on a Roadrunner error cut the lead in half.
UTSA took both runs back plus one in the fourth behind doubles by Aaron Semper and Robbie Johns. McKennon was next to double home Ryan Crew who reached on a fielder’s choice followed by Lewis’ run-scoring single that plated McKennon for a 9-4 UTSA lead.
Sam Houston State kept the contest interesting scoring a run in the seventh on a Marshall Williams home run and two more in the eighth as Stone doubled to score Jeremy Holzbach and Martin drove in Stone to make it 9-7.
The Bearkats threatened again in their final at bat following back-to-back singles by Emerson and Carol Kelly. UTSA reliever Aaron Rodriguez then struck out the second batter of the inning but hit the next batter to load the bases with two down. Crew moved to the mound for the Runners and kept the Kats’ hopes alive with another hit batsman which scored a run to make it 9-8. Crew then settled to pick up his fourth save, in six appearances on the year, by getting Stone to fly out to right field.
UTSA freshman Steven Vasquez tossed five and one-third innings with three earned runs on five hits, five walks and six strikeouts to move to 5-3 on the season. It was Sam Houston’s Casey Springer who took the loss going three innings for eight runs on eight hits, two walks and four strikeouts.
Roadrunner first baseman Lee Todesco was 1-for-4 with a run on the day extending his current hitting streak to a team-best 14 games in his final at bat. McKennon was a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs while Johns was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Lewis’ SLC-leading 15th homer moves him into third place on UTSA’s single-season list.
The Roadrunners close out the regular season campaign with a three-game set at Texas-Arlington beginning Thursday, May 20, at 7p.m. at Clay Gould Ballpark. Game times are set for 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Southland Conference Baseball
UTSA 9, Sam Houston State 8
SHSU 200 200 121 8 12 0
UTSA 204 300 00x 9 12 2
Vasquez, Brannon (6), Rodriguez (7), Crew (9) and Johns. Springer, Herrera (4), Gray (4), Craig (8) and Kasparek. W – Vasquez (5-3). L – Springer (3-5). S – Crew (4). HR – UTSA: Lewis (15), Stewart (7). SHUSU: Williams (2), Emerson (5).
Records: UTSA (27-26, 12-11). Sam Houston State (16-28, 9-13).
Notes: Todesco extends hitting streak to career and team-best 14 games. |
