SAN ANTONIO – Ian Bailey, Dylan Rock and Nick Thornquist each belted home runs to highlight a robust offensive attack for UTSA baseball, leading to a 15-1 rout of Middle Tennessee in a run-ruled seven innings, on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (14-12, 6-5 Conference USA) flew past Middle Tennessee to claim three of the four games in the series, getting 13 consecutive two-out runs – four in the fourth, sixth in the fifth and a single tally in the sixth – to post the seven-inning run-rule victory.
Bailey, Rock and Thornquist each belted homers, with Bailey going 1-for-3 with two RBI and his sixth blast, Rock charting a 2-for-5, three-RBI game with his fourth homer, and Thornquist chipping in a sixth-inning blast, his sixth. Each member of the lineup collected hits, with Shea Gutierrez and Joshua Lamb notching two hits each. Griffin Paxton stretched his hit streak to 14 games with a 1-for-3, two-RBI game, with Jonathan Tapia, Ryan Hunt and Sean Arnold each going for a hit.
UTSA starter Pepper Jones worked 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and one run, walking two and striking out three. Luke Malone came on with a leadoff runner on and a 3-2 count in the fourth, getting a strike out that is awarded to Jones. Malone (2-1) worked 2.2 shutout innings, allowing three hits with a strikeout. Arturo Guajardo worked the seventh inning.
Middle Tennessee (16-14-1, 5-6-1 C-USA) starter Trent Siebert (1-1) worked 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and six runs – five earned – walking four and striking out three. The Blue Raiders also used Justin Medlin, Brayden Siren and Drew Vaden in relief.
The Roadrunners will return to action on Friday, traveling to face Charlotte (10-1) at 6 p.m.
In the bottom of the second inning, UTSA struck first, getting a leadoff walk from Griffin Paxton, and a two-run, no-doubt blast from Ian Bailey, his sixth of the year.
The Blue Raiders cut into the lead in the top of the fourth inning, getting a leadoff single from Hunter Sullivan and a two-out RBI double from Jacob Williams.
The Roadrunners mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth inning to stretch the lead. Hunt was hit by a two-strike, two-out pitch and Arnold drew a walk. Gutierrez then singled home Hunt with a single through the left side and Arnold plated after a single into the gap from Rock. After a Thornquist walk loaded the bases, Lamb beat out an infield single on the left side, with the throw sailing into the dirt down the first-base line, allowing Gutierrez and Rock to score for a five-run lead.
UTSA plated eight two-out runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, taking the lead to 14-1. Hunt was hit with a two-strike, two-out pitch and Arnold drew a walk. Gutierrez then score the duo with a double down the leftfield line. Rock then belted his fourth homer of the year, a no-doubt shot out to left-centerfield. Thornquist followed with his second walk of the game and Lamb singled through the left side. Paxton then stretched his hitting streak to 14 with a single into shallow left-centerfield, allowing Lamb to motor home from first for an 11-run lead. After a Bailey walk, Tapia scored Paxton and Bailey with a double off the wall in left-centerfield.
Thornquist laced his sixth homer of the year with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving UTSA a 15-1 lead.
GAME NOTES: Junior RHP Pepper Jones made his second career appearance in his first career start … Senior C Nick Thornquist threw out his 12th and 13th runners stealing on the year … Senior DH Ian Bailey hit his sixth homer of the year, a team best … Junior SS Joshua Lamb was hit by his fifth pitch of the year and the seventh of his career … Lamb stole his third base on the year and the fifth of his career … Redshirt sophomore RHP Luke Malone worked in his eighth game of the year and the 11th of his career … Junior RF Ryan Hunt was hit by his second, third and fourth pitch of the year … Junior 2B Shea Gutierrez doubled for the first time … Junior CF Dylan Rock hit his fourth homer of the year and the 14th of his career … Senior 1B Griffin Paxton extended his hitting streak to a team-leading 14 games … Senior 3B Jonathan Tapia doubled for the second time on the year and the 11th in his career … Thornquist hit his sixth homer of the year and the 12th of his career.
- UTSA -
