MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Daniel Garza went for a career-high 5.2 innings and fanned a career-high seven batters as he lead UTSA to a 13-2 win in the series opener over Middle Tennessee on Friday night at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
UTSA (29-13, 13-6 C-USA) also got a whale of a game from Leyton Barry. The second baseman launched two home runs and raked in five RBI to lead the Roadrunner offense. Barry doubled his season home run total going from two to four home runs on the day.
The Roadrunners used big fourth and ninth innings to really distance themselves from Middle Tennessee. Sammy Diaz and Chase Keng had three hits apiece to lead UTSA in that category. UTSA also drew 11 walks and was hit by a pitch five different times.
UTSA started sophomore Daniel Garza (2-0) who turned in his best performance of the season. The Houston native went for five and two-thirds innings while allowing just five hits and a run. Garza's seven strikeouts were a career-high. Entering for Garza in the sixth was Braylon Owens. Owens allowed just one hit and one runs in his two and two-thirds innings of work while striking out four. Ryan Ward entered in relief of Owens in the bottom of the ninth. The righthander recorded the final two outs of the game while walking one.
MTSU (21-18, 11-8 C-USA) starter Zach Keenan (4-4) worked five innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits and striking out seven Roadrunners. James Sells opened the sixth and completed the seventh, allowing just one hit in his two innings of work. Jalen Wirtz worked the eighth, allowing one run on one hit. MTSU then used Daniel Dewey, Justin Goldstein and Jack Julian to get out of the ninth inning.
UTSA got on the board first in the top of the third inning. Second baseman Leyton Barry took one over the rightfield fence, a solo blast, for his third homer of the year.
The Roadrunners tacked on four more runs in the fourth. Ryan Flores led off the inning with a solo shot of his own to deep right-center, putting UTSA up two. Diaz and King used back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Isaiah Walker then grounded into a fielder's choice where Diaz was out at third. Then, with one out and two on, Barry took another ball for a ride and blasted his second home run of the day. The Roadrunners ended the top of the frame with a five-run lead.
Middle Tennessee got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Mason Speirs hammered his seventh home run of the year, a solo home run, to cut the Roadrunner lead to four.
UTSA tacked on a few more runs in the sixth. To start the inning, the Roadrunners loaded the bases with no outs. Barry, who had already homered twice, stepped up to the plate and hit a deep sacrifice fly to right field to bring one across. The next batter, Matt King, was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded again. Jonathan Tapia then hung another sac fly to right field to score another UTSA run. The Roadrunners entered the bottom of the frame holding a 7-1 lead.
In the top of the eighth, Chase Keng blasted a home run over the centerfield wall to lead off the inning. The home run was UTSA's fourth of the game and the Roadrunners ended the frame with an 8-1 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Blue Raiders got runners on first and second. With two on and two outs, Brett Coker singled to leftfield, bringing one across. The RBI single cut the Roadrunner lead down to six.
The Roadrunners put the game firmly out of reach in the top of the ninth. To start, the Roadrunners had back-to-back batters hit by a pitch. The third batter, Bailey, singled and just like that the bases were loaded with no outs. Ryan Flores drew a bases-loaded walk to bring one across. A Blue Raider wild pitch allowed another Roadrunner to come across. With runners on the second and third (advanced on the wild pitch), Sammy Diaz drew a walk to reload the bases. Chase Keng drew another bases-loaded walk and UTSA had its third run of the inning. Isaiah Walker then grounded into a fielder's choice and a fourth run came home. Matt King drew his second HBP of the evening to reload the bases and bring up Jonathan Tapia. Tapia drew the third bases-loaded walk of the inning and UTSA went to the bottom of the ninth with a 13-2 lead.
Friday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: Leyton Barry 2(4), Ryan Flores (7), Chase Keng (5)
MTSU: Mason Speirs (7)
WP – Daniel Garza (2-0): 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Zach Keenan (4-4): 5.0 IP, 8 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), 0 walks, 7 strikeouts
Up Next
The Roadrunners will return to Reese Smith Jr. Field tomorrow, April 30, for the second game of the weekend series with Middle Tennessee. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on CUSA TV.
- UTSA -
