| Contact: Matt Schabert (210) 458-4930 Oral Roberts edges UTSA in Alamo City Classic championship, 5-4 SAN ANTONIO – Having already defeated Oral Roberts once in the Alamo City Classic, the University of Texas at San Antonio baseball attempted to make it two in a row over the Golden Eagles in the championship game on Saturday, but despite a middle-inning rally, UTSA came up short in a 5-4 setback. Trailing 5-0 after four innings, UTSA scored three runs in the fifth and one more in the seventh but ORU reliever Taylor McIntyre came on to coax two strikeouts to end the rally threat in the ninth. Junior Ryan Crew was tagged with the loss for the Roadrunners to fall to 0-3. Junior Noah Tritz tossed the final four innings and allowed just one hit. ORU starter Rene Recio picked up his first win of the year, tossing the first four innings and allowing three hits. At the plate, sophomore Michael McKennon paced the Roadrunners with three hits, while Crew went 2-for-3. Junior J.R. Voyles hit his first home run of the year and sixth of his career in the fifth inning. UTSA rapped out seven hits and allowed nine to Oral Roberts, but four UTSA errors gave the Golden Eagles just three earned runs. In the fifth, trailing 5-0, the Roadrunners struck for three runs. Voyles led off with a round-tripper to left field off reliever Matt Hancock. After the next two Roadrunners were retired, McKennon reached on a error, Crew walked and Stephen Holdren reached on a error. On that play, McKennon scored as Holdren and Crew moved to second and third, respectively. Eric Moreno walked, and then Chris Lewis drew a walk to force in Crew. In the seventh, McKennon led off with a double and Crew moved him to third on a bunt single. Moreno's grounder to second scored McKennon. Oral Roberts' Dennis Bigley was named tournament MVP, while Voyles, Moreno, Ryan Saltzgaber, Caleb Barton and Josh Ruffin were named all-tournament from UTSA. The Roadrunners will travel to Dallas on Wednesday, March 16 to battle the Dallas Baptist Patriots in a 6 p.m. game. -UTSA- |