| Junior James Keithley brings a career-high 19-game hitting streak into this weekend's three-game series. |
SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA looks to carry the momentum from last week's 3-1 performance on the road when it continues its season-long nine-game stretch away from the Alamo City with a key weekend Southland Conference series at Northwestern State.
The Roadrunners ? who have won six of their last eight games, including four of five away from home ? bring a 21-11 overall record and 8-4 mark in league play. UTSA stands a game behind I-35 Rival Texas State (17-12, 9-3) in the West Division standings.
The Demons, meanwhile, have dropped three of their last five contests entering the weekend set and stand at 17-13 overall. However, Northwestern State is off to a great start to the conference season with a 9-2 record, which is one-half game behind East Division leader Lamar (20-11, 10-2).
First pitch in Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday's contests are slated for 2 and 1 p.m., respectively. All three contests can be heard on goUTSA.com (Rowdy Zone subscription required) with Associate Sports Information Director Brian Hernandez calling all the action.
Senior right-hander Steven Vasquez, a winner in his last two starting assignments, gets the nod in the lid-lifter. Vasquez brings a 5-2 record and 4.43 ERA into the contest. The Beeville native, who tossed eight scoreless innings last weekend at Southeastern Louisiana, leads the Roadrunners pitching staff with 44 strikeouts in 44.2 frames this year and he has walked just 12 hitters. He will be opposed by Demons righty Jimmy Heard, who sports a 4-1 mark and 2.70 ERA in seven starts this season.
Reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week Bradley Chovanec looks to continue his dominating form on Saturday. The senior right-hander, who has tossed back-to-back complete games, brings a conference-best 6-2 record into his eighth start of the season. The Burton native has a 3.30 ERA in a league-high 57.1 innings and he also owns a sterling 38-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Righty Heath Hennigan (2-2, 3.19 ERA) will oppose Chovanec.
Junior southpaw Kris Ruepke (2-2, 7.96) is scheduled to make his weekend debut in Sunday's finale. The Adel, Iowa, native has started five games this year, four of which have come against Big 12 schools. Northwestern State right-hander Clayton Cooper will bring a perfect 4-0 mark and team-leading 1.84 ERA into the contest.
The UTSA offense continues to post remarkable numbers, as is hitting a collective .318 with 114 extra-base hits (78 doubles, nine triples, 27 home runs). The Roadrunners are averaging 8.2 runs and 11.1 hits per game. Junior leadoff hitter James Keithley continues to lead the way with team highs in batting average (.385), runs scored (42), hits (50), multi-hit games (16) and stolen bases (10). The San Antonio native also has eight doubles, a triple, four homers, 72 total bases (.554 SLG), 18 RBIs and 13 walks (.448 OBP). He brings a season-high 19-game hitting streak, which matches his career best set a year ago, into the series.