HOUSTON – Freshman Simon Miller carried a no-hitter in to the sixth inning and finished working six strong innings in his second career start, leading UTSA baseball to a 4-1 seven-inning win at Rice, its second win in the four-game series, on Saturday evening at Reckling Park.
UTSA (10-7, 2-1 Conference USA) picked up the second win in the four-game series vs. the Owls to open league play, after routing Rice on Friday night and suffering a walk-off loss with six runs in the bottom of the final inning in the doubleheader opener on Saturday.
The Roadrunners struck first with two in the first and one in the fourth and answered a Rice tally with a single run in the seventh.
The win marks UTSA's fifth win over Rice in the last seven meetings, the best stretch in program history. Before UTSA's series win at Rice in 2019, the Roadrunners had a 5-22 all-time mark against the Owls and a 2-15 record at Reckling Park.
Miller (2-0) set new career highs with six innings and six strikeouts, allowing a run on two hits and three walks. Miller, a righty out of Canton, Texas, extended his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 11.2, dating back to a relief outing at Baylor.
He held Rice to just two singles in the game, with a one-out knock breaking up his no-hit bit in the sixth and a two-out single scoring the only tally he surrendered.
With a 4-1 lead to open the seventh, UTSA turned to senior Arturo Guajardo, who worked a perfect frame for his first career save.
The Roadrunners saw Dylan Rock and Chase Keng collect two-hit games, with Nick Thornquist adding a 1-for-3 game with two RBI.
Keng, a native of Deer Park, Texas, is having a blistering hot series at Rice, owning a three-homer game in the opener and a three-RBI outing in the first game of the doubleheader. Over the three games, Keng is 8-for-12 with a double, three homers and 10 RBI, reaching base safely in nine of his 13 trips to the dish.
Leyton Barry had a hit and RBI and Griffin Paxton notched a 1-for-3 game with a walk.
Rice (11-11, 1-2 C-USA) starter Mitchell Holcomb (3-2) worked a seven-inning complete game, allowing seven hits and four runs, walking three and striking out five.
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. on CUSA TV.
Paxton and Rock led off with singles in the top of the first and after Rock stole second with one out, Paxton took advantage of an errant throw to second to score the first run. Keng followed with a RBI single into rightfield, allowing Rock to score for a 2-0 UTSA lead.
UTSA added a run in the fourth inning as Barry smacked a two-strike, two-out RBI single through the left side, scoring Lamb, who reached after being hit by a one-out pitch.
The Owls got on the board in the sixth, getting a two-out RBI single from Braden Comeaux, scoring Cade Edwards, who singled with one out and took second on a wild pitch.
The Roadrunners rallied in the top of the seventh, getting walks from Josh Killeen and Paxton, with the pair moving into scoring position after a failed pickoff attempt with one out. After Rock was intentionally walked, Thornquist was hit by a two-out pitch to score Killeen.
GAME NOTES: Freshman RHP Simon Miller made his second career start in his fifth appearance … Freshman C Josh Killeen – a night after his collegiate debut – made his first career start … Junior RF Dylan Rock stole his third base of the year and the 21st of his career … Junior SS Joshua Lamb was hit by his sixth career pitch and his third of 2021 … Miller set a new career high in innings pitched and strikeouts … Senior RHP Arturo Guajardo made his fourth career appearance and his fourth on the year … Miller extended his streak of shutout innings to 11.2 straight … UTSA has won five of the last seven games with Rice, the best stretch vs. the Owls in program history … Guajardo picked up his first save of the year, marking UTSA's first save of the year … Miller improved to 2-0.
- UTSA -
