Game 24 ? March 25 ? #20 Texas A&M (17-6)
6 p.m. ? Wolff Stadium ? San Antonio, Texas
UTSA to host fourth ranked foe of season on Tuesday night: UTSA (15-8) looks to bounce back from losing 2-of-3 games at Central Arkansas on Tuesday night when it hosts #20 Texas A&M (17-6) in a non-conference tilt at Wolff Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. in what will be the Roadrunners’ final game of the 2008 season at the home of the San Antonio Missions (San Diego Padres Double A affiliate).
UTSA/Texas A&M series history: The Aggies lead the all-time series that dates back to the 1993 season, 16-8. However, the two teams have split the previous four matchups. UTSA posted a 6-3 win on April 26, 2005, and a 4-2 triumph a year later on March 12. Texas A&M has won the last two meetings by scores of 9-3 (April 25, 2006) and 6-2 (April 10, 2007). The Roadrunners hold a 5-2 advantage at home in the series, including victories in five of the last six, and all those games have been played at Wolff Stadium. Tuesday night marks the 16th year in a row that the two programs have met.
Home sweet home: UTSA is in the midst of playing 22 of its first 28 games this year at home (17 of first 20) and the Alamo City has been kind to the Roadrunners thus far, as UTSA owns a 13-4 mark between Roadrunner Field and Wolff Stadium. In fact, the Birds have won 21 of their last 25 home games (.840) dating back to April 15, 2007. UTSA saw its six-game Wolff Stadium win streak come to an end last Monday against #10 Texas (16-5). However, the Roadrunners have been victorious in 17 of their last 21 tilts at the home of the San Antonio Missions dating back to Feb. 19, 2006. Meanwhile, UTSA has won 14 of its last 15 tilts at the Bird Bath dating back to April 15, 2007.
Leadoff extraordinaire: Junior infielder James Keithley continues to be the engine that makes the UTSA offense go, as he is hitting a team-best .413 with a team highs of 38 hits, 31 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 22 games (17 SS/5 2B), all starts. The 2008 preseason first-team All-Southland Conference pick also has seven doubles, one triple, a pair of home runs and 14 RBIs. The San Antonio native has reached base at a .486 clip and owns a .576 slugging percentage (53 total bases). Keithley has hit safely in 10 games in a row dating back to March 9 and he owns six consecutive two-hits efforts (seven of eight games overall). The 2007 second-team All-SLC choice also had a 10-gamer from Feb. 23-March 8, including a school-record-tying five hits on March 8 at the College of Charleston. In fact, Keithley has a team-high 14 mutil-hit efforts this year. Since moving into the leadoff spot on March 9, 2007, the Roadrunners have gone 47-20 (.701). Keithley, who has scored a run in 47 of his last 62 games, saw his 12-game run-scoring streak snapped on Sunday at Central Arkansas. He has crossed the plate in 19 of his last 21 tilts overall.
Palincsar swinging a hot bat: Sophomore designated hitter Tim Palincsar leads a powerful Roadrunners offense that has scored 192 runs (8.3 pg) and is hitting .321 with 84 extra-base hits (61 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs). The College Station native leads the squad in home runs (4), total bases (t-56), RBIs (t-28), walks (19), on-base percentage (.514) and slugging percentage (.651). He also is hitting .407 with 35 hits and 28 runs scored (both second on squad) to go along with nine doubles and a pair of stolen bases. Palincsar ? who currently is on a nine-game hitting streak ? has reached base by hit, walk or hit by pitch in 21 contests this year and hit safely in 20-of-23 games, including five two- and three-hit performances.
Rockett named National POW: Junior center fielder Michael Rockett’s big weekend against Sacred Heart from Feb. 29-March 2 did not go unnoticed, as he was one of four players selected as Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week on March 3. He became just the second Roadrunner to earn the award in the program’s 17-year history (Mark Schramek, April 22, 2002). The Sugar Land native was spectacular in leading UTSA to a four-game sweep of the Pioneers, leading a 48-run (school record for four-game series), 56-hit offensive onslaught by going 10-for-16 (.625 avg.) with four doubles, a triple, his first home run of the year and nine RBIs. The highlight of his weekend came in March 1’s nightcap when he hit for the cycle, the second in school history, in the game’s first four innings. Rockett ? who also had a career-high six RBIs in the 16-2 victory ? doubled in the first inning, singled in the second, homered in the third and tripled in the fourth.
More Rockett launches: Rockett, a preseason first-team All-SLC selection, is hitting .352 with a squad-best 11 doubles, a pair of triples, three homers and a team-high 28 RBIs. He is second on the team with a .615 slugging percentage and also has swiped three bases.
Lockwood heating up: Senior first baseman Trent Lockwood, a preseason Wallace Award (nation’s top player) nominee, is beginning to heat up after a slow start to the year. The Groesbeck native has at least two hits in seven of his last 12 games and has hit .340 (16-47) during that stretch with eight doubles, a triple and 11 RBIs. The 2007 SLC Newcomer of the Year and ’08 preseason first-team all-league choice has a .294 batting average with a team-high 11 two-baggers. He also has one long ball, 22 RBIs and 13 walks.
Vasquez moving up career charts: Senior right-hander has returned from a one-year layoff and posted a 3-2 mark with 28 strikeouts in 30 innings (six games/five starts). The Beeville native currently ranks fifth on the program’s career chart for victories (t-16) and strikeouts (199), sixth for games started (40) and eighth for innings pitched (238).
Chovanec throwing strikes: Senior righty Bradley Chovanec has been solid in his second and final campaign as a Roadrunner. The Burton native is tied for the team lead with four victories and he also owns a 4.58 ERA in seven games (five starts). Chovanec has posted a sterling 31-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio (greater than 5-1) in a team-high 39.1 innings of work. Chovanec allowed just two runs in his first 19.1 frames this year and also tossed his first career shutout on March 1 against Sacred Heart.
On the right ?foot’: Sophomore right-hander Ryan Proudfoot has picked right up from where he left off a year ago, as he leads UTSA with a perfect 4-0 record, a 3.68 ERA in 29.1 innings of work (six games/five starts) and three quality starts. The Lindale native also has fanned 25 and is holding hitters to a .241 batting average. On Saturday, he blanked Central Arkansas for the first 5.2 frames to extend his unearned runs streak to 14.1 innings. Proudfoot, who has won his last five decisions dating back to May 6, 2007, was 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA in his inaugural season a year ago.
Bullpen bullies: Junior right-hander J.P Holton and sophomore righty Zach Calhoon have provided a formidable 1-2 punch out of the UTSA bullpen this season. Holton has seen action in eight games (two starts) and posted one save and a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings of work. The Lufkin native also has fanned 22 and limited opposing hitters to a .187 batting average. In his 13.2 relief-only innings, he has allowed just eight hits (.174 BAA in 46 ABs), while posting a 1.98 ERA with 17 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Calhoon has recorded a win and four saves in eight contests out of the pen. The Spring native has allowed just four hits (.095 BAA) and struck out 20 in 12 frames of work. He already has 10 career saves (No. 2 on UTSA’s all-time chart) and is just one shy of tying Lucas Stewart’s school mark set from 2003-04. His six saves a year ago were a UTSA freshman record and the fifth-highest total in a single season.
Tough slate: Tuesday night’s game against #20 Texas A&M marks UTSA’s fourth ranked opponent this season. The Roadrunners dropped their season opener to #40 Oral Roberts, 5-3, defeated #19 Louisiana-Lafayette, 5-2, two days later but lost to #10 Texas, 16-5. Future foes that currently reside in the national rankings include Baylor (April 2) and Texas (April 23).
Preseason favorites: Coming off one of the finest seasons in school history, UTSA is the consensus choice to defend its regular season title. The Roadrunners collected 10 first-place votes and 70 points in the SIDs Poll and eight first-place nods and 63 tallies in the coaches’ rankings. UTSA outdistanced second-place choice Sam Houston State in the West Division by 13 and 10 points in the coaches and SIDs polls, respectively. Lamar, which was 20-10 in the league last season, was the choice to win the East Division (64 points in SIDs/62 in coaches).
Roadrunners land five on preseason first team: UTSA had a league-high five players named to this year’s SLC preseason first team. Seniors Zach Etheredge (catcher) and Trent Lockwood (first base), juniors James Keithley (second base) and Michael Rockett (outfield) and sophomore Tim Palincsar (designated hitter) were chosen to the conference’s top squad.
Head coach Sherman Corbett: Now in his eighth season at the helm of UTSA’s baseball program, Sherman Corbett is the winningest coach in school history with 226 victories. Corbett led the Roadrunners to 36 victories in 2007 (No. 3 UTSA history), including a league-record 24 wins in SLC play, and their first regular season championship in school annals en route to being named the league’s Clay Gould Coach of the Year. Last year’s performance came on the heels of a 37-win season in 2006, the second-best year on school record, and the program’s second SLC Tournament Championship and second NCAA Regional appearance in ?05. In his first seven seasons, he has coached 31 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), 2007 Newcomer of the Year (Trent Lockwood), 2007 Freshman of the Year (Tim Palincsar) and three Freshman All-Americans ? Crew (2003), Michael Rockett (2006) and Palincsar (2007).
