| Feb. 11, 2005 Complete Release UTSA Roadrunners (0-0) Wolff Stadium - San Antonio, Texas |
First Pitch
The University of Texas at San Antonio baseball team opens its 2005 season this weekend at Wolff Stadium hosting in-state opponent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi...The Roadrunners return 15 letterwinners, including four starting infielders and seven pitchers...Head coach Sherman Corbett, whose career record stands at 111-116, opens the season needing just three more victories to become the all-time winningest baseball coach at UTSA...Ryan Crew has been named Southland Conference Preseason Player of the Year by Baseball America...Four players for Texas A&M-CC hail from San Antonio...First game starter Aaron Rodriguez threw a complete-game five hitter last year against the Islanders.
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.
Openers
The Roadrunners are 4-9 all-time in season openers. Last year, New Mexico State handed the Roadrunners a 13-12 defeat on opening day on Feb. 14. However, UTSA is 9-4 in home openers since the beginning of the prgram in 1992, including a 9-4 win against the Islanders in 2002.
Powerful Stuff
UTSA returns three of its top four hitters from the 2004 season and the top three home run hitters. Junior 1B Lee Todesco (.348) returns as the leading hitter, while junior SS Ryan Crew (.310) and RF Chris Lewis (.279) also return to solidify a powerful Roadrunner offensive attack.
It Could Be, It Might Be, It Is!
The Roadrunners led the Southland Conference in 2004, smashing 55 home runs. It’s the first time in school history the Roadrunners led the league in round-trippers.
A Look at the Islanders
Texas A&M Corpus Christi enters this weekend’s series 0-3 overall. The Islanders dropped all three games at the Texas-Pan American Tournament last weekend, losing 5-4 to Texas-Arlington, 13-5 to Texas State and 9-7 to the host Broncs. Infielder Jamie Landin led the Islanders at the plate, hitting .417 for the three-game span, while pitcher Michael Hatfield made two appearances, losing one contest while posting a 3.38 ERA. The Islander roster is composed of 21 players who transferred from a community or junior college. Hector Salinas is in his 12th year as a collegiate coach.
What a Crew
Junior shortstop Ryan Crew is set to enter his junior campaign with some lofty preseason expectations. He has been named preseason first-team all-Southland Conference and is also Baseball America’s selection for Southland Player of the Year. Crew is also slated to see more time on the mound on this year. In 2004, he was named first-team all-Southland Conference after batting .310 with nine home runs and leading the team with four saves.
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 expected to start 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.
Welcome Back
The Roadrunners will get two upperclassmen back from redshirts last season and also welcome back three second-year players who redshirted in 2004. Junior Jesse Bradley returns this season after a relief role his first two seasons in 2002 and 2003. Sophomore Brandon Koger appeared in two games in 2003 before sitting out 2004. Phillip Allen, Michael Susaneck and Drew Rogers are all looking to see their first collegiate action after taking redshirt years as true freshman in 2004.
We’ve Got Speed
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.
Saving the Day
UTSA had 10 saves in 2004, with six of those coming from 2005 returnees. Ryan Crew led the Roadrunners with four, while sophomore Blake Brannon had two.
Tournment Time
UTSA will participate in three in-season tournaments this season after playig in just one in 2004. The Roadrunners take part in the Midland Rockhounds College Classic on Feb. 24-26 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 participating.
Two to One
Senior starting pitcher Aaron Rodriguez, the only senior on the pitching staf in 2005, posted a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2004. Rodriguez recorded 70 K’s, which ranked second on the team behind Klae Boehme, and walked only 34 on the year. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last year on April 21, Rodriguez went all nine innings in a 3-1 Roadrunner victory. He allowed just five hits and had six strikeouts. Earlier in the year, he recorded a season high 10 Ks in a 5-3 win over George Washington.
Double Dish Duty
The Roadrunners enter the 2005 campaign with two experienced options behind the plate. Junior Robbie Johns is the starter as the year begins, and he started 41 of the 43 games he appeared in last year and gunned down nine would-be base stealers. Meanwhile, sophomore Zach Etheredge returns this year after seeing action in 36 games last year and throwing out five runners. The Roadrunners also have a third option in freshman Tyler Johnson.
Texas Two-Step
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 will travel to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns on Tuesday, Feb. 15 for a 2:30 first pitch at Disch-Falk Field. The Longhorns were ranked no. 1 in the nation on the first Collegiate Baseball regular season poll last week.