SAN ANTONIO – Luke Malone fired seven one-run innings and the UTSA baseball offensive attack scored seven runs in the sixth inning, fueling a 13-1 win over UT Arlington in the series opener on Friday at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (3-1) saw Malone twirl a gem in the series-opening win, which saw UTSA top UTA (4-3) in the series opener. The Roadrunners overcame a first-inning run from the Mavs to score 13 unanswered, including a game-tying tally in the third, seven in the fifth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh.
The Roadrunners were led by the outing from Malone and a 16-hit attack that saw UTSA draw five walks and rip a pair of doubles. Griffin Paxton went 3-for-4 with three RBI at the top of the order. He was joined by Ian Bailey, Nick Thornquist and Leyton Barry in the multiple-hit column, with Barry and Thornquist each driving in a pair.
Only the beginning, 2021.
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UTSA also got hits from Dylan Rock, Taylor Barber, Shea Gutierrez, Shane Sirdashney, Joshua Lamb, Sean Arnold and Jonathan Tapia. Lamb went 1-for-2 with three runs, two walks and two steals.
Malone (1-0) worked seven one-run innings, fanning six without a strikeout. He allowed just four singles, retiring 21 of the 25 hitters he faced, with the lone damage coming in the first inning after a leadoff double opened the game.
Freshman Shane Anderson took over the open the eighth with a 13-1 lead, tossing the final two innings with two strikeouts.
UT Arlington starter Carlos Tavera (0-1) worked 4.1 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out three. He entered the game having allowed only a single in six shutout innings of work striking out 13, before running into the UTSA offensive attack. Tavera was replaced by Wyatt Divis in the fifth, with Divis working two outs, allowing two unearned runs. UTA also used Trevor Pruitt and Jarod Seals in relief.
The series will resume with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. at Roadrunner Field. Both games will be broadcast live on CUSA TV.
The Mavericks opened the scoring in the top of the first, getting a leadoff double from Connor Aube, bounced off the wall in leftfield. A pair of productive groundouts, including an RBI from Andrew Miller forced Aube home with the first run of the game.
UTSA evened up the game in the bottom of the third inning, getting a leadoff walk from Joshua Lamb, who stole second base and moved to third on Leyton Barry's sacrifice bunt. Griffin Paxton then lined a ball out to rightfield, allowing Lamb to score on the sacrifice fly.
The Roadrunners took an 8-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, getting a leadoff single from Lamb, who stole second base and smartly moved to third on a groundout to the left side from Jonathan Tapia. Leyton Barry then scored him, hanging a single that fell in front of a late-breaking Andrew Miller in rightfield. Paxton followed with a single through the left side, scoring after Rock's single to left. Bailey scored Barry with an RBI knock to right. After UTA turned to Divis in relief of Tavera, Rock came around to score on a wild pitch with the bases juiced. A three-run error allowed Bailey, Thornquist and Ochoa to score, with Gutierrez forcing them home after hitting into the throwing error on the right side.
UTSA added a pair for a 10-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, getting a two-out RBI single from Thornquist.
UTSA plated three in the bottom of the seventh, including an RBI single from Barry and a two-RBI knock from Paxton.
GAME NOTES: UT Arlington leads the all-time series 46-30, with UTSA owning a 17-16 advantage in games played in San Antonio … Jonathan Tapia made his first career start in RF … Sophomore RHP Luke Malone made his second Friday-night start to open the year, appearing in his sixth career game … Junior SS Joshua Lamb stole his first base of the year and his third in six career attempts … Senior 1B Griffin Paxton hung his first sacrifice fly of the year and the fifth of his career … UTSA turned its second double play of the year to escape the fifth inning … Lamb extended his hitting streak to four games with a bunt single in the fifth … Paxton extended his hitting streak to four games … UTSA has had at least a seven-run inning in three consecutive games … Graduate transfer DH Ian Bailey ripped his first double at UTSA … Malone worked a career-high seven innings, striking out a career-best six … Freshman RHP Shane Anderson made his collegiate debut … Taylor Barber doubled for the 10th time in his career and first of 2021.
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