STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS – The UTSA baseball team started the 2022 campaign off with authority, as they defeated the Tarleton State Texans 21-5 on Friday night.
Every UTSA starter recorded a hit tonight, as Chase Keng and Kody Darcy led the way for the Roadrunners. Both players recorded four hits apiece with four RBI. Both also had three-run home runs on the night.
The Roadrunners got great production from their starting pitcher, as Jacob Jimenez tossed five scoreless innings with five strikeouts while giving up only two hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Ryan Flores got the ball rolling, as he crushed a solo shot to right field in the second inning. Later, in the fourth inning, Leyton Barry knocked a double up the middle to score one. Then, again in the fourth, newcomer Kody Darcy stepped up to the plate with two on and hit a three-run homer to extend the Roadrunner lead.
As the fifth inning started, UTSA held a 5-0 lead but they weren't done there. After a Chase Keng double and a walk drawn by Flores, Barry stepped back up to the plate. He hit another double, this time scoring two to push the UTSA lead to 7-0.
After allowing two runs in the bottom of the sixth, the Roadrunners did damage at the top of the seventh. An Ian Bailey solo blast got the scoring started. UTSA then loaded the bases with two outs and proceeded to score 10 more runs. A Garrett Poston walk brought home Flores, then at the next at-bat, Darcy scored on a wild pitch.
The Roadrunners used a Killeen 2 RBI single, a Keng RBI single, a Bailey RBI single, a Flores RBI single, a Darcy RBI single and an Ochoa 2 RBI single to push the lead to 18-2.
After their offensive onslaught in the seventh, UTSA tacked on three more in the eighth thanks to a Chase Keng three-run home run, putting the score at 21-3. Tarleton State would go on to score three in the bottom of the eighth, making the score 22-5.
Allen Smith entered the game in the sixth inning in relief of Jimenez. In his three innings, Smith allowed seven hits and three earned runs.
At the top of the ninth, Drake Smith came in to close things out. Smith popped out the first batter and punched out the next two to secure the Roadrunner victory.
The 21 runs scored were the most under the Pat Hallmark era, as the previous high was 18 last year against Sam Houston State. UTSA's 48 at-bats were eight off of the all-time record of 56 set in 2014. UTSA's 22 hits were also just off of a school record (26).
FRIDAY INFO
Home Runs: Ryan Flores (1), Kody Darcy (1), Ian Bailey (1), Chase Keng (1)
WP – Jacob Jimenez (1-0): 5 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks
LP – Bryce Hackett (0-1): 3 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will continue their season-opening series against Tarleton State tomorrow. Grant Miller is scheduled to start for UTSA in the second game at the Tarleton Sports Complex on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on the WAC Digital Network.
