| Senior Blake Brannon allowed just three hits in five scoreless innings on Saturday. |
ARLINGTON – UTSA scored a season-high 10 runs in the third inning and romped to a 12-0 victory at Texas-Arlington on Saturday. The game was called after the seventh due to the Southland Conference’s run rule and it was the Roadrunners’ third run-rule victory to close out a league series this year.
On a day that saw the temperatures hover in the upper 30s with snow flurries, UTSA (19-13, 11-1 SLC) rebounded from Saturday’s 9-3 loss in a big way.
After going scoreless in the first two frames, the Roadrunners sent 15 hitters to the plate in the third. UTSA scored six of the 10 runs off starter Andy Sauter and four more off reliever Chris Taylor. The Mavericks (10-24, 1-11 SLC) walked four and also hit a batter and the Roadrunners took advantage.
Sophomore Michael Rockett and junior Trent Lockwood both had two hits in the stanza to tie a school record, while junior Marshal Davis and sophomore James Keithley both reached base in their two plate appearances. It was the first time since April 20, 2005, that UTSA crossed the plate 10 times in an inning.
The Roadrunners went on to add a pair of runs on Davis’ two-RBI single up the middle one inning later to extend the lead to 12-0.
Every starter on offense reached base and scored on the day, while seven drove in runs.
Three players – Davis, Lockwood and Rockett – had two hits apiece and redshirt freshman Tim Palincsar tied his career high with four RBIs. It was Palincsar’s second such performance in less than a week, as he drove in four in last Sunday’s 14-5 victory against Southeastern Louisiana. He was 1-for-3 and extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games. Meanwhile, Keithley was 0-for-3 and his career-best streak came to an end at 19 contests.
Senior right-hander Blake Brannon (2-4) was solid in his second start of the week. Working on three days rest, Brannon tossed five shutout innings, allowing just three hits, while walking two and striking out five. Junior Mark Ruffin and freshman Zach Calhoon each tossed a scoreless inning to close out the victory.
Sauter (0-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on three hits and three walks in 2.1 innings.
UTSA wraps up its five-game road trip on Tuesday when it travels to College Station to face No. 13 Texas A&M (27-7). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Olsen Field.