MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – UTSA saw its six-game win streak snapped on Sunday, as the Roadrunners dropped game three of the weekend series to Middle Tennessee, 2-1.
After going 15-2 in the month of April, UTSA (30-14, 14-7) dropped its first game in the month of May. The loss was just the fourth Roadrunner loss in their last 20 outings. The Roadrunner pitching staff combined to limit the Blue Raiders to just six hits on the day but MTSU's arms won out as they limited UTSA to just four hits and one run.
Of the three Roadrunners to collect hits, Jonathan Tapia was the only one who recorded a multi-hit game. The senior third baseman had two doubles on the day and scored the only run, off a sacrifice fly, which came off the bat of Sammy Diaz. Josh Killeen was the lone other Roadrunner to notch a hit.
UTSA started sophomore righty Drake Smith as it attempted to complete the weekend sweep. Smith worked two innings, allowing two hits and a run while striking out three. Simon Miller entered in relief of Smith in the third inning. Miller went on to work the majority of the game, pitching 4.1 innings. Miller allowed just two hits over that span and recorded five of UTSA's eight strikeouts. Freshman Ryan Beaird entered in the seventh inning to spell Miller. Beaird would pitch the rest of the seventh and the entirety of the eighth for UTSA, going 1.2 innings. Beaird allowed two hits and a run in his time on the mound.
MTSU (22-19, 12-9 C-USA) starter Jaden Hamm had himself a day, as the sophomore righty worked seven innings and allowed just three hits over that span. Hamm struck out nine Roadrunners and allowed no runs, keeping UTSA in check. Trent Seibert (4-2) entered to start the eighth for Middle Tennessee. Seibert blew the save attempt, but picked up the win, as the left-hander pitched the final two innings. Seibert allowed one run on one hit and struck out two.
Middle Tennessee jumped out to an early lead for the second game in a row. In the bottom of the first, Jackson Galloway homered in his second straight at-bat (homered in his last at-bat of Saturday). Galloway's solo shot put the Blue Raiders up 1-0.
After six straight scoreless innings by the two schools, UTSA finally got on the board in the eighth. Jonathan Tapia kicked the inning off with a double to left-centerfield. Leyton Barry then laid down a perfect RBI sac bunt to move Tapia over to third. With Tapia on third and one out, Sammy Diaz hung a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Tapia and tie the game at one.
The Blue Raiders struck back in the bottom of the frame. MTSU rightfielder Eston Snider hit an infield single to put a runner on. Snider would then go on to steal second and put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Leftfielder Brian Dillingham proved to be the hero as he smacked a single into right-centerfield, allowing Snider to score what would be the game-winning run.
Sunday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: N/A
MTSU: Jackson Galloway (7)
WP – Trent Seibert (4-2): 2.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Ryan Beaird (2-2): 1.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts
Up Next
UTSA will return home to host the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley in a midweek game on Tuesday, May 3 at 6 p.m. First pitch for Tuesday's game is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be streamed on CUSA TV.
- UTSA -
