· Diamond notes (.pdf)
Games 17-19 • March 16-18 • McNeese State (3-17)
7/3/1 p.m. • Cowboy Diamond • Lake Charles, La.
UTSA To Open SLC Play This Weekend: UTSA (6-10) begins the 2007 Southland Conference campaign this weekend when it travels to defending regular season champion McNeese State for a three-game series. Friday’s opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Cowboy Diamond, while Saturday and Sunday’s contests will begin at 3 and 1 p.m., respectively. The Roadrunners, who were rained out on Tuesday, took two of three games against the College of Charleston last weekend at Wolff Stadium.
Scouting The Cowboys: McNeese State, the preseason favorite to win the SLC East Division, is off to a rough start this season. The Cowboys are 3-17 on the year and enter this weekend having lost eight of their past nine games. McNeese State owns a 26-18 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1992. However, UTSA won two of the three meetings at Roadrunner Field a year ago, its first series win since 1997.
Close Games: The Roadrunners have shown the knack of playing close games this season. Thirteen of the club’s 16 contests, including the last 11, have been decided by three runs or less and it has a 6-7 mark in those games. UTSA has a 4-3 record in one-run tilts, a 1-3 mark in two-run contests and 1-1 record in games decided by three runs.
Preseason Polls: UTSA was picked to finish second in the West Division by the sports information directors and third by the league’s coaches in the Preseason SLC Polls. The Roadrunners received five first-place votes in the SID rankings and three in the coaches poll. They were six points (51) behind co-favorites Texas-Arlington and Texas State in the coaches poll and only three (58) behind UTA in the SID poll. Defending regular season champion McNeese State was the consensus choice to defend its regular season title in the East.
Trio Named To Preseason All-SLC Teams: Three Roadrunners were named to the preseason All-SLC teams, as senior pitcher Josh Ruffin and sophomore outfielder Michael Rockett were first-team selections and senior third baseman Ryan Saltzgaber was named to the second team. Ruffin earned first-team accolades a year ago, while Rockett was a second-team honoree and Saltzgaber was an honorable mention selection.
Ruffin On The Career Charts: Senior Josh Ruffin’s name can be found all over the Roadrunners’ career record book. Friday’s starter is UTSA’s all-time record holder with four career shutouts and he also ranks fifth in appearances (70) and victories (15), sixth in innings pitched (266.1), seventh in earned run average (4.70) and complete games (six) and eighth in strikeouts (163).
2007 Captains: Senior starting pitcher Josh Ruffin, junior catcher Zach Etheredge and junior shortstop Marshal Davis will serve as the Roadrunners’ team captains this season.
What’s Back In 2007: UTSA is coming off a season that saw it finish with a 37-22 record (20-10 SLC). The team welcomes back 17 letterwinners — including five position starters and six pitchers — in addition to 19 newcomers this season. Topping the list of returnees are 2006 first-team All-SLC starting pitcher Josh Ruffin, a senior, and Freshman All-America center fielder Michael Rockett. Also back are sophomore second baseman James Keithley and senior third baseman Ryan Saltzgaber, both of whom earned honorable mention accolades a year ago.
Home Cooking: Roadrunner Field and Wolff Stadium were tough places for the opposition to play in 2006, as UTSA registered a school-record 24 home victories. That broke the previous UTSA record of 23 home wins set in 1994. The Roadrunners are 4-4 at home this year and now have posted a 247-174 (.587) all-time home record.
Hit The Lights: For the first time in school history, UTSA will play night games at Roadrunner Field this season. Nine of the team’s 22 contests at the facility will be played under the lights. The Feb. 16 home opener against Louisiana-Lafayette kicked off the night-time action at the “Bird Bath.”
Tough Schedule: The Roadrunners’ 55-game schedule is highlighted by six opponents that qualified for the 2006 NCAA Tournament — Baylor, The College of Charleston, Houston, Rice, Texas and Texas-Arlington.
Player Updates
C • Zach Etheredge, Jr. - 2007 tri-captain … starter in all 16 games this year … has hit safely in six of last seven contests … hitting .286 with a .355 on-base percentage and five two-hit games this season … also has three doubles and eight RBIs and also been hit by three pitches … named to Southwest Diamond Classic All-Tournament Team (4-10, 4 R, 4 RBIs).
1B/DH • Trent Lockwood, Jr. - Has started 15 games, 12 at first base and three at DH … hit safely in his first eight contests … leads club in home runs (three), RBIs (12), total bases (27) and slugging percentage (.466) … also ranks second with a .364 on-base percentage … hitting .293 with five two-hit games and three multi-RBI performances … named to Southwest Diamond Classic All-Tournament Team (5-14, 3 R, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, SB).
LF/2B • James Keithley, So. - Has started 13 games at second base and three in left field this year … moved to left last weekend … hitting .400 (18-45) with two doubles, one triple, a home run and 10 RBIs since starting the season 2-for-21 (.095) … has .436 (17-39) batting average with a pair of two-hit games, two three-hit performances and a career-best four-hit effort (March 9) in last nine contests … went 7-14 (.500) with four runs scored, a triple, his first homer of the year and four RBIs last weekend vs. the College of Charleston … 2006 honorable mention All-SLC.
3B • Ryan Saltzgaber, Sr. - 2007 preseason second-team All-SLC … starter in all 16 contests this year … leads squad with four doubles and four stolen bases … ranks second with .306 batting average and six multi-hit games, including 3-for-5 performance vs. Missouri State (Feb. 24) … also has scored nine runs and driven in five … has hit safely in eight of last 10 contests (.319/15-47) with eight runs scored … ’06 honorable mention All-SLC.
SS • Marshal Davis, Jr. - 2007 tri-captain … has reached base by hit or walk in 20 consecutive games dating back May 22, 2006 … started all 16 games this year and leads team with 11 runs scored, .413 on-base percentage and 17 walks … also has stroked a pair of doubles and driven in three base runners … has five two-hit games.
LF/DH • Tim Palincsar, Fr. - Starter in 13 games this year (5 LF/8 DH) … had seven-game hitting streak from Feb. 23-March 4 (.385/10-26) … tied for team lead with 11 runs scored and second with three stolen bases … hitting .288 with a pair of doubles, one home run, eight RBIs, five walks and a .362 on-base percentage … hit his first career homer vs. the College of Charleston (March 10) … named to the Al Ogletree Classic All-Tournament Team (5-11, 2 R, 2B, SB).
CF • Michael Rockett, So. - 2007 preseason first-team All-SLC … leads club with .318 batting average, 21 hits, four doubles and eight multi-hit efforts … also ranks second with 11 RBIs … has hit safely in 12 of 16 games this season and recorded seven two-hit games and a three-hit performance against the College of Charleston (March 10) … has handled last 136 chances without an error dating back to March 25, 2006 … tied his career high with four RBIs against Houston (Feb. 22) … ’06 Freshman All-America and second-team All-SLC selection.
SP • Josh Ruffin, Sr. - 2007 tri-captain and preseason first-team All-SLC … leads team with 24 strikeouts in team-high 30.2 innings … allowed just one run on five hits and fanned six in seven innings against the College of Charleston (March 9) for his second quality start of season … struck out career-high nine and picked up first victory of year vs. Gonzaga (Feb. 23) … allowed just three runs on six hits in eight-plus innings … has gone at least six innings in last three starts … ’06 first-team All-SLC.
SP • Bradley Chovanec, Jr. - Second on squad with 22 strikeouts and just six walks in 26.1 innings … has recorded back-to-back quality starts … allowed three runs in 6.1 innings, while striking out five against Sam Houston State (March 3) … made first career UTSA start on Feb. 17 against Louisiana-Lafayette (5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 K) … tossed three scoreless innings in relief and struck out three in the season opener at No. 6 Rice (Feb. 13).
SP • Blake Brannon, Sr. - Second on the team with 22 punchouts in 21 innings of work … registered first quality start of year against the College of Charleston (March 11) … allowed a pair of runs (one earned) on just six hits in seven-plus innings, while tying career high with eight strikeouts … entered senior season riding UTSA-record 29 scoreless innings streak and extended that stretch to 30 before giving up run against UL-Lafayette (Feb. 16).
RP • Josh Blakley, Sr. - Has appeared in six games and leads team with 3.86 ERA … has 1-0 record and has a 16/2 strikeout to walk ratio in 18.2 innings … has gone at least four innings in four contests.
RP • J.T. Mackey, Jr. - Squad’s top setup man sports a 3-1 mark with one save in nine games … has allowed just two runs (one earned) in 10.2 innings for a 0.84 ERA … has struck out 10 while walking four … earned both victories last weekend against the College of Charleston … picked up first UTSA victory with two scoreless innings against Stephen F. Austin last Friday … earned first save against St. Mary’s (Feb. 26).
RP • Zach Calhoon, Fr. - Has emerged has team’s closer … sports 1-1 record with two saves in seven appearances … has tossed 11.2 innings (3.09 ERA), allowing just five hits (.139 BAA), while striking out 16 … named SLC Pitcher of the Week on March 5 after posting win (vs. Houston) and save (vs. Stephen F. Austin) … struck out career-high five in 4.2 innings vs. Cougars (Feb. 27) … fanned final two batters against Gonzaga (Feb. 23) to earn first collegiate save.
Head Coach Sherman Corbett: With more than 20 years of playing and coaching experience, Sherman Corbett is in his seventh season at UTSA. The winningest coach in school history (181 victories), Corbett led the Roadrunners to 37 victories a year ago, the second-most in school history. In his first six seasons, he has coached a pair of 30-win squads and 24 All-SLC players, including seven first-teamers. Corbett also has mentored the 2001 SLC Pitcher of the Year (Jared Howton), 2002 SLC Player and Hitter of the Year (Mark Schramek), 2003 SLC Freshman of the Year (Ryan Crew) and two Freshman All-Americans — Crew (2003) and Michael Rockett (2006). Twelve of his Roadrunners have gone on to professional careers, including eight being selected in the MLB Draft.
