| March 9, 2005
Contact: Matt Schabert (210) 458-4930 Roadrunners set for Alamo City Classic at Wolff Complete Release SAN ANTONIO - After picking up their first win of the season last weekend at the Al Ogletree Classic in Edinburg, the University of Texas at San Antonio baseball team returns to San Antonio to focus their attention on the Alamo City Irish Baseball Classic. UTSA (1-13) faces Notre Dame tonight at 7:15, Oral Roberts on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Southwest Missouri on Friday at 5:30 p.m. UTSA Roadrunners (1-13)
at
Alamo City Irish Baseball Classic
Hosted by Notre Dame, City of San Antonio, Notre Dame Alumni Association and Wolff Stadium Wednesday-Saturday, March 9-12
Wolff Stadium • San Antonio, Texas
Wednesday, March 9 - vs. Notre Dame, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 10 - vs. Oral Roberts, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, March 11 - vs. Southwest Missouri, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 12 - consolation, 12 p.m.; championship, 4 p.m. First Pitch
• UTSA participates in the Alamo City Irish Baseball Classic, which is hosted by Notre Dame, the City of San Antonio, Wolff Stadium and the Notre Dame Alumni Association.
• This is the third and final regular season tournament UTSA will play in 2005.
• Junior Ryan Crew raised his batting average to .300 over the weekend at the Al Ogletree Classic. In three games, he hit 7-for-14 (.500).
• UTSA’s three opponents this week combined to finish 132-51 last year. Oral Roberts and Notre Dame finished first and second in the nation for winning percentage in 2004.
Al Ogletree Recap
UTSA picked up its first win last weekend at the Al Ogletree Classic in Edinburg, Texas. The Roadrunners knocked off Big Ten foe Illinois 8-4 on March 4. Senior Aaron Rodriguez tossed UTSA’s first complete game for the win, while Ryan Crew went 3-for-5 at the plate. The Roadrunnners dropped a 2-0 decision to Birmingham Southern on March 5. Junior Caleb Barton allowed just one earned run over seven innings. UTSA dropped a 12-9 game to Texas-Pan American on March 6. The Broncs scored six runs in the seventh inning to rally past the Roadrunners, who held a 7-6 lead at that point.
UTSA Versus The Conferences
The Roadrunners have never faced another Big East opponent other than Notre Dame, and UTSA is 2-2 against the Irish. UTSA is 2-0 against the Missouri Valley Conference all-time as the Roadrunners defeated Southern Illinois twice last year. The Roadrunners have also never faced any other team from the Mid Continent Conference
All-Tournament Honors
UTSA’s Ryan Crew and Sean Danielson were named to the Al Ogletree Classic all-tournament team. Crew was honored as the best shortstop in the five-team field, while Danielson garnered one of the three outfield spots.
Alamo Classic Rewind
UTSA went 2-2 during the inaugural Alamo City Classic in 2004. After falling 6-5 to Penn State to open the tournament, the Roadrunners knocked off seventh-ranked Notre Dame 17-9. UTSA came back the next day to hand Southern Illinois a 5-0 defeat before losing to Notre Dame 13-5 in the championship game.
Motley Crew
UTSA junior Ryan Crew has solidified a spot in the starting rotation. Against Baylor on March 1, he struck out a career high high six batters in four innings. Against Texas-Pan American on march 6, he struck out a career high eight and now sports a 7.77 K/9 inn. average. In 2004, Crew led the Roadrunners out of the bullpen with four saves in just six appearances. He was named first-team all-Southland Conference as shortstop in 2004 and has been named preseason all-Southland Conference in 2005. He was also Baseball America’s pick for Southland Player of the Year. He is also on the verge of putting his name on several career record charts. With 155 career hits, he needs just six to climb to 10th in career hits. He needs just 11 RBIs to pass Ed Burton and into 10th in career runs batted in, while Crew needs only four doubles to move into 10th in career doubles. After just one season on the mound, he is already sixth in career saves. His 76 hits in 2004 ranked as the fifth best single season hit performance in school history.
Green Light
The Roadrunners are 14-of-17 (.823 success pct.) in stolen bases so far this season. Senior Sean Danielson is 4-for-7, while junior Ryan Crew and junior J.R. Voyles are 3-for-3.
The Bats Came Alive
UTSA raised its team batting average more than 20 points last weekend at the Al Ogletree Classic. For the three games, the Rpadrunners batted .297, with junior Ryan Crew’s .500 effort leading the way. He batted 7-for-14 with a double and a triple. Ryan Saltzgaber extended his hitting streak to eight games by hitting .375, while Eric Moreno led the Roadrunners with four RBIs
He’s Got it Covered
Senior transfer Sean Danielson enters the week with a seven-game hitting streak. Last week, he was named all-tournament at the Al Ogletree Classic when he hit .273 with an RBI. He also continues to be a solid fit in center field, posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage last week. For the year, he has already recorded five assists from his center field position.
Ryan Express
Sophomore Ryan Saltzgaber, a transfer from Kansas State, continues to get the job done at the plate for UTSA. As the week begins, he sports an eight-game hitting streak, tops on the team. At the Al Ogletree Classic last week, he hit .375.
Bullpen Ace
Sophomore righthander Blake Brannon is definitely seeing more than his share of playing time. With injuries abundant on the pitching staff, Brannon has stepped in and provided the Roadrunners with a trustworthy option out of the bullpen. He leads the team with nine appearances and has a 5.51 ERA.
Getting on Base
Senior transfer Stephen Holdren has a knack for getting on base any way he can. He made his Roadrunner debut as the DH against Baylor on March 1 and has since posted a team-high .556 on-base percentage. While he is only hitting .200 at the plate, Holdren has drawn six walks and has been hit a team-high two times as well. Against Texas-Pan American on March 6, he went 2-for-5 with a run scored. A highly-touted prospect at Butler County Community College, Holdren has already been drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 2002 MLB draft.
A-Rod
Senior pitcher Aaron Rodriguez threw the Roadrunners’ first complete game of the year in the 8-4 win against Illinois on March 4. He gave up 11 hits but only allowed three earned runs. After 14 games, Rodriguez leads UTSA with a 4.11 ERA and also has 20 strikeouts in 32 inninggs. For his career, he now has posted 142 strikeouts.
Over the Wall
Senior Chris Lewis smashed his first home run of the year and 17th of his two-year career against Illinois on March 4. His 17 career round-trippers ranks seventh all-time for career homers at UTSA, and he needs six more to move into fifth place.
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.
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.
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.
Up Next
The Roadrunners travel to Dallas to take on the Dallas Baptist Patriots on Wednesday, March 16 at 6 p.m.
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