SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA baseball team will open its 27th season of play Friday and sixth under head coach Jason Marshall when it hosts San Francisco for a three-game series at Roadrunner Field. The set is scheduled to open at 6 p.m. Friday. Saturday's tilt is slated to begin at 2 p.m., while Sunday's finale is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
UTSA Director of Athletics Lisa Campos is slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Friday night's contest.
FOLLOW LIVE
All three games will be available on CUSA.tv with Glynne Collenback providing the play-by-play. Additionally, live stats will be available for all three contests.
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Friday, 6 p.m. – (UTSA) Chance Kirby, rhp vs. (USF) Thomas Ponticelli, rhp
Saturday, 2 p.m. – (UTSA) Steven Dressler, lhp vs. (USF) Landen Bourassa, rhp
Sunday, 1 p.m. – (UTSA) Jordan Rodriguez, lhp vs. (USF) Haydn King, lhp
INSIDE THE SERIES
UTSA and San Francisco have met eight times prior to this weekend's series. The Roadrunners own a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series, including back-to-back wins. The series dates back to 2009 when UTSA claimed three of four contests to open the campaign. The Roadrunners and Dons split a four-game set in 2010.
2/20/09 vs. San Francisco W, 8-5
2/21/09 vs. San Francisco L, 9-13
2/21/09 vs. San Francisco W, 12-3
2/22/09 vs. San Francisco W, 6-3
3/5/10 vs. San Francisco L, 2-3
3/5/10 vs. San Francisco L, 2-8
3/6/10 at San Francisco W, 9-8
3/7/10 at San Francisco W, 2-1
HOME SWEET HOME-OPENING WEEKEND
For the sixth consecutive season, UTSA will open its campaign within the friendly confines of Roadrunner Field. The Roadrunners have won four of their last five opening weekend series.
UTSA IN SEASON OPENERS
In 26 previous opening days, UTSA holds an 11-15 record. The Roadrunners are 8-5 in season openers at home.
UTSA IN HOME SEASON OPENERS ALL-TIME
2/8/92 Texas-Pan American L, 8-9
2/4/95 Texas-Pan American W, 5-4
2/10/96 Arkansas L, 6-9
2/11/05 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi L, 0-1
2/22/08 Oral Roberts L, 3-5
2/20/09 San Francisco W, 8-5
2/20/10 Houston Baptist W, 9-2
2/18/12 Louisiana-Monroe W, 11-6
2/15/13 Air Force W, 9-2
2/14/14 Saint Peter's W, 1-0 (10)
2/13/15 Louisiana-Lafayette W, 8-5
2/19/16 UConn W, 2-1
2/17/17 Quinnipiac L, 4-5
KIRBY GETS THE OPENING DAY NOD AGAIN
Senior right-hander Chance Kirby will be given the ball on Friday to make his third consecutive opening day start. The Austin, Texas, native has pitched in all three previous opening days he has been a part of, including a relief stint during his freshman campaign. Kirby has amassed a 7-13 record and a 4.96 ERA on the mound in three seasons. He was 1-3 with a 6.91 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 41.2 innings.
ARIAS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE USA
Junior infielder Bryan Arias was named to the preseason All-Conference USA team last month. The local product out of Marshall High School has been the Roadrunners' offensive player of the year the past two seasons. Arias batted .323 with 20 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs last year. The 6-foot, 200-pounder is a lifetime .322 hitter with 46 extra-base hits, including 29 doubles, and a .501 slugging percentage.
UP NEXT
UTSA will hit the road for the first time in 2018 on Tuesday, Feb. 20, for a non-conference tilt at Abilene Christian. The Roadrunners then are scheduled to return to San Antonio next weekend for a three-game series with No. 3 Texas Tech.
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