SAN ANTONIO – Coming off a series win over Middle Tennessee last weekend, UTSA baseball will hit the road for a four-game series at league-leading No. 21 Charlotte, starting on Friday at 5 p.m. CT at Hayes Stadium. The series will resume on Saturday with a pair of seven-inning games, starting at 12 p.m. and conclude on Sunday at 11 a.m. with all four games broadcast live on CUSA TV.
UTSA (14-12, 6-5 Conference USA) will face off with the red-hot Charlotte 49ers (22-9, 11-1 C-USA), with Charlotte riding an eight-game winning streak, including sweeps of FAU and FIU, with the 49ers also owning a series win at WKU.
The Roadrunners are coming off a series win over Middle Tennessee in San Antonio last weekend, posting a win in the opener in comeback fashion, before falling in extra innings on Saturday in the opener of a doubleheader, only to bounce back with a comeback, walk-off win. UTSA routed the Blue Raiders in the finale, 15-1.
UTSA has hit .294/.390/.468 as a team through 26 games in 2021, with 48 doubles, 34 homers and 206 runs scored in 26 games, stealing 17 bases. Defensively, UTSA has fielded .970, throwing out 13 of 31 would-be basestealers. On the mound, UTSA has a 4.70 team ERA, walking 104 and striking out 206 in 222 innings.
At the plate, senior infielder Griffin Paxton leads the team with a .375 average, belting seven doubles, four homers and driving in 20 runs. Senior catcher Nick Thornquist has hit .330 with six homers and 27 RBI, while junior infielder Joshua Lamb has hit .323 with nine doubles, three homers and 25 RBI. Junior outfielder Dylan Rock owns a .320 average with four homers and 22 RBI, while senior outfielder Ian Bailey has slugged six homers and driving in 17 with a .274 average.
Last weekend, UTSA used John Chomko (0-1, 2.76 ERA), Kobe Jaramillo (1-0, 4.24 ERA), Reece Easterling (1-0, 3.92 ERA) and Pepper Jones (0-0, 2.08 ERA) to start its four games. UTSA has also used Luke Malone (2-1, 5.33 ERA), Shane Daughety (2-0, 2.25 ERA), Simon Miller (2-1, 3.98 ERA), Grant Miller (0-1, 7.07 ERA) and Ryan Ward (0-3, 8.38 ERA) for multiple starts in 2021.
In relief, senior Hunter Mason (4-4, 4.56 ERA) has appeared in a club-best 10 games, with Daniel Garza (1-0, 4.91 ERA), Arturo Gujardo (1-0, 6.48 ERA) and Jay Ward (0-0, 6.43 ERA) each working in at least seven games out of the bullpen.
The 49ers have hit .300/.375/.483 through 31 games in 2021, with 70 doubles, 37 homers and 224 runs scored, stealing 29 of 38 bases and owning a 107-211 walk-strikeout ratio. Defensively, Charlotte has fielded .980 as a team, throwing out nine of 32 would-be basestealers and turning 20 double plays. On the mound, Charlotte has a 4.31 team ERA in 263 innings, allowing only 214 hits and a .221 opponent average, walking 146 and striking out 316.
The 49ers have been led on the mound by Bryce McGowan (5-2, 3.13 ERA), who has fanned 60 and walked 26 in 46 innings, allowing only 32 hits and a .199 opponent average. Austin Marozas (2-1, 3.23 ERA), Matt Brooks (2-1, 5.23 ERA) and Andrew Lindsey (4-1, 5.45 ERA) have each starter at least six games.
An early candidate for league player of the year, Austin Knight leads the 49ers in hitting with a .373 average, belting a staggering 18 doubles, with a triple, six homers and 34 RBI, stealing five bases. Gino Groover has hit .337 with six doubles, one homer and 16 RBI, while Will Butcher has a .315 average with five homers and 24 RBI. Jack Gragum and Craig Keuchel have each slugged four homers.
In relief, Jackson Boss (1-1, 3.00 ERA) has appeared in 18 of 31 games in relief with three saves in 21 innings. Christian Lothes (3-0, 2.84 ERA) has a team-leading four saves in 19 innings, walking 11 and striking out 30.
The all-time series with Charlotte is even at 10-10 with UTSA owning a 6-3 advantage in games played in the Queen City. UTSA has won four series with the 49ers, with Charlotte claiming a 2014 series in San Antonio and both games of a two-game series in 2016. In the last meeting in 2019, UTSA won the opener, 4-3 and the middle game, 5-3 to clinch the series, before falling 5-4 in the finale in Charlotte.
- UTSA -
