BOCA RATON, Fla. – Ryan Flores belted two homeruns and Jonathan Tapia chipped in a leadoff homerun but it wasn't enough as UTSA falls in game two of the weekend series on Saturday afternoon, 12-9.
UTSA (13-9, 2-3 Conference USA) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but it was quickly erased and the Roadrunners never caught back up.
Flores finished the day 2-4 with both hits being homeruns. The first came in the bottom of the first inning, a two-run jack, and the second was a solo shot in the eighth inning. Tapia finished the game 2-3 at the plate with a homerun and two RBI. Tapia was hit by a pitch three times on Saturday.
UTSA started sophomore righty Ulises Quiroga in Saturday's C-USA matchup. Quiroga worked 2.2 innings, allowing four hits and five runs. Quiroga left the game in the bottom of the third as Jacob Jimenez entered. Jimenez only lasted 0.1 innings as he allowed three hits and three runs. Ryan Beaird and Abraham DeLeon would cover the fourth through seventh innings. The two allowed a combined five hits and four runs. Ryan Ward closed out the game as he pitched the eighth. The righty allowed just one hit and struck out two in his solo inning.
Florida Atlantic (15-9, 2-3 C-USA) starter Tibur Rivero worked just one inning and allowed three runs on two hits. Evan Waterbor (2-2) replaced Rivero and went for three innings allowing just three hits and one run. Max Martzolf entered in the top of the fifth and went for 3.1 innings. Martzolf allowed seven hits and four runs in his time on the mound. Sam Drumheller and Robert Wegielnik (2) combined to record the final five outs of the game.
UTSA got out to an early lead Saturday afternoon, as the top of the first inning featured two Roadrunner homeruns. The first was launched by leadoff hitter Jonathan Tapia, as, with a 1-0 count the senior launched a solo homerun to left field. Sammy Diaz was later hit by a pitch and that brought up first baseman Ryan Flores. Flores saw a pitch he liked and took it for a ride as his two-run blast put UTSA up early 3-0.
The Owls didn't wait long to strike back, as in the bottom of the second they matched UTSA's three runs with three of their own. Owl shortstop Armando Albert sent a pitch to right field to knot things up at three apiece.
In the top of the third UTSA got runners on first and second thanks to a Shane Sirdashney walk and a Garrett Poston single. With those two runners on, Chase Keng knocked a single to left-center to plate Sirdashney and give UTSA a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom frame of the inning, Florida Atlantic retook the lead with a Steven Loden two-run homer to make things 5-4 Owls.
The Owls kept their foot on the gas as they added a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth. A single and a walk got things started for FAU, putting runners on first and second. An Armando Albert single through the left side scored one and put runners on the corners. Gabriel Rincones entered the batter's box and singled to plate another Owl run. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jackson Ross hit into a fielder's choice and scored another for FAU as the score sat at 8-4.
In the bottom of the sixth Florida Atlantic would add three more runs to their lead. It began with a Nolan Schanuel solo blast to make things 9-4 FAU. Following an Owl single, Steven Loden returned to the plate and smashed another homerun for his second of the ball game. The two-run homerun extended the Owl's lead to 11-4.
Both teams added a run in the seventh. Sirdashney and Matt King got the Roadrunners on base as both had singles to put runners on the corners. Tapia stepped up to the plate and sent a single to centerfield to plate Sirdashney and make it 11-5.
The Owls got the run right back though as in the bottom of the seventh as they had runners on the corners with no outs. A Rincones sacrifice fly would bring one across and get the Owls back in front, 12-5.
UTSA began its comeback efforts in the top of the eighth. After a Sammy Diaz groundout, Flores got up to the plate and belted his second homerun of the afternoon to cut the Owl lead to six. After the Flores homerun, Ian Bailey singled up the middle to get a runner on. Chase Keng then smashed a double down the rightfield line. Bailey scored as Keng advanced to third and home off of Owl throwing errors. The three runs brought the score to 12-8 FAU.
With the Roadrunners down to their last three outs, Sammy Diaz was able to bat in Tapia, but that would be it, as FAU held off the Roadrunners and came away with a 12-9 victory.
Saturday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: Jonathan Tapia (3), Ryan Flores 2 (5)
FAU: Armando Albert (2), Steven Loden 2 (3), Nolan Schanuel (8)
WP – Evan Waterbor (2-2): 3.0 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
SV – Robert Wiegielnik (2): 0.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
LP – Ulises Quiroga (1-3): 2.2 IP, 4 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts
Up Next
UTSA will be back at FAU Stadium tomorrow morning for the finale of the weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on CUSA.tv.
- UTSA -
