| April 14, 2006
Contact: Carlos Valdez III. UTSA hangs on for 16-14 win over Nicholls State in SLC action Box Score
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – UTSA and Nicholls State combined for 30 runs and 31 hits, however the Roadrunners scored the 16-14 win over the Colonels in Southland Conference action Friday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners improved their record to 22-12 overall and 9-5 in SLC play. Meanwhile, the Colonels, who have lost three games in a row, dropped to 11-26 on the year and 4-13 in league play.
UTSA collected season-highs of 14 hits and 16 runs on the day. Junior Mitch Ponza posted a career day with three hits and three runs batted in, while junior Michael McKennon also drove in three runs and blasted his eighth home run of the season. Four Runners also collected two hits apiece. Senior J.R. Voyles (pictured) recorded a UTSA single-game record five walks and was one walk shy of tying the NCAA record for most walks in game. Voyles managed to keep his hitting streak alive with a single in the seventh inning. The Tomball, Texas native, has hits safely in 21 games in a row.
Junior pitcher Josh Blakley (3-1) came on in relief for his third win of the season. Senior closer Noah Tritz entered the game with the tying run on deck in the eighth and collected his sixth save of the season. Blakley went one and two-thirds innings, allowing one run off three hits and walking one.
Ryan Cheramie suffered the loss for Nicholls State and dipped to 0-1 on the season. Senior Jose Higuera led the Colonels with four hits, while senior Michael Muscato recorded a season-high five RBI on three hits.
Nicholls State took a 3-0 lead after one inning of play. Senior Patrick Harris led off the inning with a walk. Senior Michael Roberts’ double to right center scored Harris from first base. Higuera’s RBI single allowed for Roberts to score the second run. Senior Keith Delahoussaye’s double to right field scored the third run.
UTSA responded with five runs off six hits in bottom half of the second inning. Freshman James Keithely started off with a double down the left line, then freshman Michael Rockett’s RBI single through the right side brought Keithley home from second. Junior Brandon Koger’s RBI groundout plated UTSA’s second run. Ponza (right) tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single. McKennon and senior Lee Todesco hit back-to-back RBI singles to give the Runners a 5-3 lead. The Roadrunners added one run in the bottom of the third inning for a 6-3 advantage.
The Colonels regained the lead (8-6) in the top of the fourth. Nicholls State scored five runs off three hits and a UTSA error. The Roadrunners took a 10-8 lead in the fifth inning. UTSA scored four runs in that inning, while two of the four runs came in with bases loaded walks.
NSU pulled within one run (10-9) in the sixth inning. In the seventh, the Colonels knotted the game at 10-all when junior Thomas Bourne’s infield hit scored freshman Chris Barnes from third, who reached via a walk. In the bottom of the seventh inning, UTSA put up a six spot to take a 16-10 lead. McKennon’s two-run blast over the wall in right center highlighted the Roadrunner inning.
Nicholls State would make it interesting in the top of the ninth. The Colonels trimmed the lead 16-14 with three runs in the inning, all with two outs. Tritz would end the rally, forcing Cheramie to strike out swinging.
The Roadrunners and Colonels conclude their three-game set tomorrow with the series finale at 1 p.m.
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