Kirby strikes out 13, UTSA shuts out RiceKirby strikes out 13, UTSA shuts out Rice
Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics
Baseball

Kirby strikes out 13, UTSA shuts out Rice

SAN ANTONIO – Chance Kirby struck out a career-high 13 and combined on a four-hit shutout with Palmer Wenzel, as UTSA earned a 7-0 victory against Rice in the Conference USA series finale on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.

Kirby (4-4), who was one strikeout shy of Eric Montoya's program single-game record of 14, allowed only one Owl baserunner to reach scoring position, which happened in the first inning as Ryan Chandler singled and then moved up on a wild pitch but was stranded.


The Austin native settled in and retired 10 consecutive hitters before Braden Comeaux's two-out single in the fourth.

He gave up a second infield single in the sixth and then struck out the side in the seventh to set his career high, eclipsing the 10 strikeouts he logged against Texas Tech on Feb. 24.


Kirby induced a groundout to start the eighth, but a single by Dominic DiCaprio brought out head coach Jason Marshall to make a change. Palmer Wenzel needed only three pitches to get out of the frame and then he worked around a walk in the ninth to complete the shutout.

Meanwhile, UTSA's offense backed up Kirby's performance with 11 hits.

The Roadrunners (26-20, 12-11 C-USA) jumped out to a 4-0 lead through the first three innings.

Joshua Lamb pushed the advantage to 6-0 in the fifth on a two-run triple.


Ben Brookover capped the scoring in the eighth, as the senior first baseman drove in his third run of the game on a sharp single into left field.

Brookover, Lamb, Bryan Arias and Ryan Stacy all finished with two hits apiece, while Brookover and Lamb both had three RBIs. Dylan Rock drove in a run a sacrifice fly in the first inning.

UTSA will hit the road next weekend to face Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. The three-game series is scheduled to open at 5 p.m. (CT) Friday at Bud Metheny Complex.