? Game 1 box score
? Game 2 box score
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| Freshman Jason Walls and sophomore Andy Benedict turned in solid pitching performances in Tuesday's doubleheader. | |
SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA received solid pitching performances from freshman right-hander Jason Walls and sophomore southpaw Andy Benedict and the Roadrunners offense combined to score 20 runs on 27 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Texas-Pan American (4-1, 16-4) on Tuesday at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA, which won for the fifth time in its last six contests, improved to 14-6 overall and now has been victorious 14 of its last 15 games at the Bird Bath dating back to April 15, 2007.
Making just the second start of his Roadrunners career, Walls was solid in the day's first game. The Sachse native collected his first collegiate victory after giving up just one run on three hits in 5.2 innings. He retired the first seven hitters he faced and 15 of the first 19 overall in the 90-pitch performance.
Walls was staked to a 2-0 lead in the third. Freshman second baseman Ryan Hutson led off with a triple to right field and junior shortstop James Keithley followed with a single up the middle. After Keithley moved up to second on a wild pitch and stole third, junior center fielder Michael Rockett brought him across the plate with a grounder to short that was deflected by UTPA starter Philip Rodriguez.
The Broncs finally got to Walls in the sixth when Tim Tefft stroked a two-out single to bring home Jose Mendoza, who walked to lead off the frame.
Senior righty Bradley Chovanec then came on with runners on second and third and promptly fanned Nick Spears on five pitches to end the threat. The Burton native went on to throw two more scoreless frames and handed the ball over the sophomore closer Zach Calhoon in the ninth.
Calhoon tossed a scoreless inning to pick up his third save of the year and ninth of his young career. That put him in a second-place tie with Noah Tritz (2005-06) on the Roadrunners' all-time list.
Keithley led the Roadrunners with two hits, including a double, and he scored one run.
Rodriguez (0-1) was the tough-luck loser, as he surrendered three runs on only five hits and punched out a half dozen in six innings.
The nightcap was all Roadrunners and Benedict was the beneficiary.
The Lewisville native ? making his first start since May 22, 2006 ? tossed six strong innings in earning his first win since May 2 of his 2006 freshman campaign. Benedict allowed a pair of runs (one earned) on just three hits and struck out three. He retired nine of the first 11 hitters he faced and six of the last seven in the 94-pitch outing. Junior Mark Ruffin struck out three in two scoreless frames in relief of Benedict.
Texas-Pan American starter Cody Cisper (1-3) recorded just one out, as UTSA pounded him for five runs on five hits and a walk in the opening stanza. The Roadrunners pushed the lead to 6-0 one inning later on senior first baseman Trent Lockwood's RBI double and, after the Broncs plated a pair in their half of the fourth, UTSA responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to stretch the advantage back to six.
The Roadrunners exploded for a seven-spot three frames later on the strength of a half dozen hits, three walks and two UTPA miscues in the field. UTSA added its final run in the eighth on senior center fielder Phillip Allen's run-scoring base hit. The Broncs scored a pair off junior left-hander Cody Graham in the final inning to complete the scoring.
Rockett went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBIs and a stolen base and sophomore third baseman Ryan Rummel added three hits and a two-bagger to lead the 20-hit onslaught. Freshman catcher Tyler Carpenter was 2-for-5 with a career-high three RBIs and first-year second baseman Ryan Hutson added a pair of hits and drove home two. Keithley, Lockwood and sophomore left fielder Tim Palincsar each had two hits and scored three times.
UTSA returns to action on Thursday night when it resumes Southland Conference play at Central Arkansas (8-11, 0-3 SLC). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and senior right-hander Steven Vasquez (3-1, 5.76 ERA) will get the start in the opener of the three-game series.
UTSA, which won for the fifth time in its last six contests, improved to 14-6 overall and now has been victorious 14 of its last 15 games at the Bird Bath dating back to April 15, 2007.
Making just the second start of his Roadrunners career, Walls was solid in the day's first game. The Sachse native collected his first collegiate victory after giving up just one run on three hits in 5.2 innings. He retired the first seven hitters he faced and 15 of the first 19 overall in the 90-pitch performance.
Walls was staked to a 2-0 lead in the third. Freshman second baseman Ryan Hutson led off with a triple to right field and junior shortstop James Keithley followed with a single up the middle. After Keithley moved up to second on a wild pitch and stole third, junior center fielder Michael Rockett brought him across the plate with a grounder to short that was deflected by UTPA starter Philip Rodriguez.
The Broncs finally got to Walls in the sixth when Tim Tefft stroked a two-out single to bring home Jose Mendoza, who walked to lead off the frame.
Senior righty Bradley Chovanec then came on with runners on second and third and promptly fanned Nick Spears on five pitches to end the threat. The Burton native went on to throw two more scoreless frames and handed the ball over the sophomore closer Zach Calhoon in the ninth.
Calhoon tossed a scoreless inning to pick up his third save of the year and ninth of his young career. That put him in a second-place tie with Noah Tritz (2005-06) on the Roadrunners' all-time list.
Keithley led the Roadrunners with two hits, including a double, and he scored one run.
Rodriguez (0-1) was the tough-luck loser, as he surrendered three runs on only five hits and punched out a half dozen in six innings.
The nightcap was all Roadrunners and Benedict was the beneficiary.
The Lewisville native ? making his first start since May 22, 2006 ? tossed six strong innings in earning his first win since May 2 of his 2006 freshman campaign. Benedict allowed a pair of runs (one earned) on just three hits and struck out three. He retired nine of the first 11 hitters he faced and six of the last seven in the 94-pitch outing. Junior Mark Ruffin struck out three in two scoreless frames in relief of Benedict.
Texas-Pan American starter Cody Cisper (1-3) recorded just one out, as UTSA pounded him for five runs on five hits and a walk in the opening stanza. The Roadrunners pushed the lead to 6-0 one inning later on senior first baseman Trent Lockwood's RBI double and, after the Broncs plated a pair in their half of the fourth, UTSA responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to stretch the advantage back to six.
The Roadrunners exploded for a seven-spot three frames later on the strength of a half dozen hits, three walks and two UTPA miscues in the field. UTSA added its final run in the eighth on senior center fielder Phillip Allen's run-scoring base hit. The Broncs scored a pair off junior left-hander Cody Graham in the final inning to complete the scoring.
Rockett went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBIs and a stolen base and sophomore third baseman Ryan Rummel added three hits and a two-bagger to lead the 20-hit onslaught. Freshman catcher Tyler Carpenter was 2-for-5 with a career-high three RBIs and first-year second baseman Ryan Hutson added a pair of hits and drove home two. Keithley, Lockwood and sophomore left fielder Tim Palincsar each had two hits and scored three times.
UTSA returns to action on Thursday night when it resumes Southland Conference play at Central Arkansas (8-11, 0-3 SLC). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and senior right-hander Steven Vasquez (3-1, 5.76 ERA) will get the start in the opener of the three-game series.