SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA baseball team will return home for its second series of the season this weekend when it welcomes former Southland Conference foe McNeese State for a three-game set. Game times are scheduled for 6, 2 and 1 p.m.
The Roadrunners (3-1) opened the season with a series win against Connecticut, winning both games in walk-off fashion. UTSA then rallied from a 4-0 deficit on Tuesday night at Sam Houston State for an 8-5 victory.
Skyler Valentine leads the team in hitting with a .353 average with team bests in hits (6), runs (6) and RBIs (4). Valentine has scored at least one run in each of the Roadrunners’ four games and is slugging .588 this spring.
Meanwhile, C.J. Pickering sits behind Valentine with a .333 batting average with five hits and he has drawn three walks. The Roadrunners have four players hitting at least .300 with Mason George at .313, and Matt Hilston at .308.
On the mound, Andre Shewcraft and Chance Kirby are off to great starts this spring.
Shewcraft has made three appearances in relief and is perfect with a 0.00 ERA. The Pearland native earned the win at Sam Houston State after pitching three scoreless innings and striking out a career-best five batters.
Kirby has made a pair of appearances this season with one start. The right-hander worked one inning against the Bearkats on Tuesday.
McNeese State (2-2) won its season-opening series against Southern Illinois, but the Cowboys are coming off Tuesday's 14-1 loss at No. 9 Houston. This weekend's trip to the Alamo City will end a four-game road swing.
Ricky Ramirez leads McNeese’s season box with a .375 batting average with six hits and three runs scored, while Connor Crane is batting .308 with four hits, three runs, three RBIs and the team’s only home run of the year.
Right-hander Ethan Stremmel holds a perfect 0.00 ERA in his one start. He pitched 5.1 scoreless innings and recorded five strikeouts in his season debut.
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