HUNTSVILLE, Texas – UTSA earned its seventh midweek win of the season as well as its fourth shutout to date as they blanked Sam Houston, 2-0.
The Roadrunners (22-11, 7-5) used two one-run innings on Wednesday night to defeat the Sam Houston Bearkats 2-0. The midweek win was UTSA's seventh of the year and its fourth in a row. The Roadrunners have played nine games against WAC opponents on the year now and own an 8-1 record over conference members.
UTSA saw eight of their batters earn hits on the night and Shane Sirdashney collected the only multi-hit outing of the game. Sammy Diaz and Ryan Flores both earned RBI as the two had RBI base hits in the fourth and sixth inning respectively. Pitcher Ryan Beaird put forth arguably his best outing of the year as the freshman right-hander earned his first collegiate victory after throwing 3.1 perfect innings. Relief pitcher Daniel Shafer returned home and picked up his fifth save of the year, closing out the school he grew up watching.
The Roadrunners started sophomore Ryan Ward, as the sophomore made his second straight midweek game start. Ward went for an inning issuing one walk and allowing no hits. After issuing his lone walk in the bottom of the second, Daniel Garza entered in replacement. Garza would work 1.2 innings and allow a hit and a walk while striking out one. With the nation's leader in RBI Carlos Contreras due up, UTSA again went to the pen and turned to Grant Miller for the innings final out. Miller got Contreras to ground out and with that, the senior's night was done. On in the fourth inning was John Chomko. The righty went for 1.2 innings and allowed one hit while striking out one Bearkat. Ryan Beaird (1-0) entered in the bottom of the fifth to record the final out. Not only did he get the final out, but Beaird turned in one of his best performances on the season and earned the first win of his career. The freshman finished with 3.1 innings pitched as he allowed no hits and issued no walks all while striking out five. The Roadrunners turned to closer Daniel Shafer in the ninth to close out Sam Houston. The Willis, Texas native struck out one without allowing a hit as he closed out the game and earned his fifth save of the season.
Sam Houston (19-15, 10-5 WAC) starter Matt Rudis went for four innings as the righty allowed three hits and a run in his time on the mound. When the fifth inning began, the Bearkats turned to southpaw Braden Davis. The freshman went for two innings, allowing two hits and a run while striking out three Roadrunners. The seventh inning was manned by Steven Beard. In Beard's one inning of action, he allowed a hit and walk. To finish the game off, Sam Houston went with Lance Lusk. Lusk pitched the final two innings and allowed three hits, no runs and struck out two.
The two teams would combine for only three hits in the first three innings, as the game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth. In the top of the fourth, UTSA second baseman Leyton Barry led off the inning with a walk. Barry flashed his wheels when Sammy Diaz was at the plate, as he stole second. Now with Barry on second and sitting at a 2-1 count, Diaz ripped a stand-up double to right-centerfield which scored Barry and put UTSA up 1-0.
The Roadrunners tacked on a second run in the sixth as UTSA brought one across. Jonathan Tapia got the inning started with a hit to the third baseman as the senior beat the throw to first to get a runner on. Next up was Barry who dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line to advance Tapia and get a Roadrunner in scoring position. With one out, Ryan Flores sent a single to centerfield which would bring across Tapia and push the UTSA lead to 2-0.
UTSA would continue to shut out the Bearkats into the ninth inning. In the bottom of the ninth, closer Daniel Shafer entered and earned his fifth save of the year, allowing no hits or runs in his lone inning.
Wednesday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: N/A
Sam Houston: N/A
WP – Ryan Beaird (1-0): 3.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
SV – Daniel Shafer (5): 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout
LP – Matt Rudis (0-4): 4.0 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
Up Next
UTSA will stay in the Houston area as they prepare for a weekend series matchup with the Rice Owls. The games will take place over the Easter weekend (April 15-17) and be played at Reckling Park. Each game is set to be streamed on CUSA TV.
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