| Feb. 21, 2005
Contact: Matt Schabert (210) 458-4930 Roadrunners host No. 12 Texas A&M Tuesday at Wolff Complete Release | Listen Live | Live Stats SAN ANTONIO - The UTSA baseball team hosts No. 12 Texas A&M on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at Wolff Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. UTSA Roadrunners (0-7)
vs.
No. 12 Texas A&M Aggies (5-2) Tuesday, Feb. 22 • 6 p.m.
Wolff Stadium • San Antonio, Texas First Pitch
• The Roadrunners host Big 12 opponent Texas A&M tonight.
• UTSA is still looking for its first win of the year.
• Sophomore Michael McKennon brings a six-game hitting streak into the game.
• Sophomore Ryan Saltzgaber led the Roadrunners with a .333 batting average in the four games last week.
• The Aggies won both meetings last year in College Station, 9-2 and 11-1.
Connections
UTSA Head Coach Sherman Corbett and Associate Head Coach Jason Marshall played at Texas A&M, while Aggie players Ryan Hill (Reagan HS/St. Mary’s) and Blake Stouffer (Alamo Heights HS) are from San Antonio. UTSA senior outfielder Stephen Holdren spent last season as a member of the Texas A&M team. Aggie pitcher Austin Creps played prep ball in Spring’s Klein High School along with Roadrunner infielder Joel Doucet. UTSA redshirt freshman lefthander Michael Susaneck and Aggie freshman infielder Will Carpenter both played high school baseball at Elkins High School in Sugar Land, Texas.
Lineup Shuffle
The Roadrunners have three spots on the field in which at least two players have made starts. At catcher, junior Robbie Johns has made six starts with freshman Tyler Johnson manning the dish in the seventh game. Sophomore Ryan Saltzgaber has made four starts at third base, while senior Eric Moreno got the nod in the other three. At shortstop, Ryan Crew has made six starts as Saltzgaber made the other one. The Roadruners have also used four designated hitters - Moreno, Johnson, Phillip Allen and Joel Doucet.
A Look at the Aggies
Texas A&M enters the contest ranked 12th by Collegiate Baseball and 14th by Baseball America. The Aggies won three contests last weekend to win the Coca-Cola Classic in Mobile, Ala. Texas A&M is led by infielder Ryan Hill with a .462 batting average. Hill also has two homers in 2005. The Aggies bat .273 as a team and boast three players with a .400 or better average. Mark Johnson is in his 21st year in College Station with an overall record of 851-408-2.
Sophomore Sensation
After leading the Roadrunners with 18 doubles and three triples last year, sophomore Michael McKennon is back at it again in 2005, leading UTSA in hitting (.367), hits (11), doubles (2), triples (1) and home runs (1). He currently sports a six-game hitting streak and has three multiple hit and RBI games.
Playing Against the Best
UTSA faces four teams this year that are ranked in this week’s Collegiate Baseball top 30, including tonight’s opponent, Texas A&M (12th). The Roadrunners have already faced Texas (1st - L, 10-0) and are scheduled to play Texas Tech (28th) next weekend at the Rockhounds College Classic in Midland. Baylor (16th) visits Wolff Stadium on March 1.
Shut Down
The Roadrunners will be looking to crank up the offense tonight after batting just .185 as a team against Dallas Baptist last weekend.
Call to the Bullpen
UTSA reliever Blake Brannon has made appearances in five of the seven games so far and sports a low 4.50 ERA after eight innings of work. Just a sophomore, Brannon already has made 28 appearances as a Roadrunner, including a team-leading 23 in 2004.
We’re not in Kansas Anymore
The 2005 Roadrunner roster reflects several junior college and Division I transfers, including two newcomers who came to San Antonio from Kansas State. Centerfielder Sean Danielson, from Irving, Texas, and third baseman Ryan Saltzgaber, from Pearland, Texas, both played collegiately at Kansas State before transferring to UTSA this season. Both are starters for the Roadrunners as well. In addition, UTSA has four other players who transferred this season. Senior Stephen Holdren (Texas A&M) and junior Noah Tritz (Southern Mississippi) are D-I newcomers, while juniors Art Gonzales (Vernon Junior College) and Caleb Barton (Panola Junior College) hail from the JUCO ranks.
Good Thieves
The Roadrunners stole 44 bases in 2004, and 27 of those were accomplished by players who return in 2005. Junior J.R. Voyles leads the returnees in stolen bases as he swiped 8-of-8 last year, while junior Ryan Crew was a close second with a 7-for-13 performance on the base paths. The Roadrunners are already 8-for-10 on the base paths this season as senior transfer Sean Danielson is 3-for-5.
Roadrunners Picked Sixth
UTSA has been tabbed for a sixth place finish in the Southland Conference this year, according the coaches and SID polls taken before the year began. Defending champion Lamar is again picked to finish number one.
Tournament Time
UTSA will participate in three in-season tournaments this season after playing in just one in 2004. The Roadrunners take part in the Midland Rockhounds College Classic this weekend against Southland foe Lamar, New Mexico State and the host school, Texas Tech. The Roadrunners then travel to the Rio Grande Valley for the Al Ogletree Classic at Texas-Pan American on Mar. 4-6. The Roadrunners play the hosts, Illinois and Birmingham Southern. UTSA then concludes its tournament schedule with the annual Alamo City Classic at Wolff Stadium on Mar. 9-12, with Notre Dame, Oral Roberts and Southwest Missouri State.
Homegrown Talent
Head coach Sherman Corbett doesn’t have to go far to find the talent to fill the Roadrunners’ roster. Thirty-one (31) of the 33 players on the roster hail from right here in Texas. Only redshirt freshman Drew Rogers (Bradenton, Fla.) and senior transfer Stephen Holdren (Overland Park, Kan.) don’t call Texas home.
Next on the Ledger
The Roadrunners travel to Midland starting on Thusday for the Rockhounds College Classic. UTSA will face Lamar, Texas Tech and New Mexico State.
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