MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Luke Malone earned his seventh win and Josh Killeen hammered UTSA's first grand slam of the year as UTSA earned its 30th win and secured a series victory over Middle Tennessee on Saturday afternoon.
UTSA (30-13, 14-6 C-USA) notched its eleventh season in school history with at least 30 wins on Saturday. The Roadrunners saw each batter reach base and eight of the nine recorded hits. UTSA is streaking again, as the Roadrunners are riding a six-game winning streak. It is the third time on the year UTSA has gone on a six-game win streak. The Roadrunners are also in sole possession of second place in Conference USA, two back of conference leader Southern Mississippi.
The Roadrunners were led at the plate by catcher Josh Killeen who went four for five with a monster grand slam in the third, totaling four RBI on the day. Outfielder Ian Bailey also had a productive day at the plate, going three for six and hitting his eleventh home run, a three-run blast, of the year. Sammy Diaz, Isaiah Walker and Chase Keng all tallied multi-hit games too, as UTSA notched 15 on the afternoon.
UTSA started ace Luke Malone (7-1) for Saturday's contest. The redshirt junior hurled 6.2 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out five. Malone's 6.2 innings ended up being his fourth longest outing of the year. Needing one out in the seventh, Fischer Kingsbery entered in relief of Malone. Kingsbery would finish the game, going 2.1 innings, and allowed just three hits and one run while striking out three Blue Raiders.
MTSU (21-19, 11-9 C-USA) starter Peyton Wigginton (5-4) worked four and two-thirds innings, allowing eight runs on eleven hits (one unearned) and struck out two Roadrunners. Middle Tennessee turned to Eriq Swan who went for 3.2 innings of work. Swan was pitching well until the top of the ninth when Bailey took one for a ride, forcing a pitching substitution. Jack Julian earned the final two outs of the game for Middle Tennessee, though not before allowing a UTSA run to come across.
The Blue Raiders got on the board first in the bottom of the second. MTSU third baseman Brett Coker singled to center to get a runner on. Coker advanced to second on a wild pitch and later to third after a groundout. With a runner on third and two outs, Luke Vinson singled to right field, scoring Coker and putting Middle Tennessee up 1-0.
UTSA didn't wait long to strike back, as the Roadrunners put a five-piece on the board at the top of the third. Bailey and Barry had back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Next up was Matt King who was HBP for the third time this series to load the bases. With the bases juiced and one out, Josh Killeen walked up to the plate and crushed his third home run of the season. The grand slam was UTSA's first of the year and put them up 4-0. With the bases cleared, Isaiah Walker doubled to centerfield. Later, an MTSU error allowed Walker to come home from second as UTSA took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the third.
The Roadrunners added three runs to the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. UTSA had runners on first and second as Chase Keng was up to bat. Keng hammered a single into centerfield to plate one, earning an RBI and putting UTSA up 6-1. The next batter was Jonathan Tapia who grounded into a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners. Sammy Diaz then came up and promptly smoked a double to left-centerfield to score both runners. At the end of the frame, UTSA found itself up 8-1.
Middle Tennesse used two solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh inning to bring the UTSA lead down to five. In the bottom of the sixth, it was Tatsunori Negishi hitting his first home run on the year and in the bottom of the seventh, Luke Vinson hit his third to bring the game to an 8-3 score.
For the second straight game, UTSA put up at least four runs in the top of the ninth to put the game away. Keng singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then stole third before Tapia drew a walk to put Roadrunners on the corners. Sammy Diaz entered the batter's box and earned his third RBI of the day, doubling to centerfield and scoring Keng. Then, with Tapia and Diaz on, Ian Bailey stepped up to the plate and crushed his team-leading eleventh homer of the year towering over the leftfield fence. UTSA's lead now sat at 12-3 going into the bottom of the inning.
Blue Raider leftfielder Jackson Galloway completed his five-for-five day in the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot to make the score 12-4. That's all MTSU could muster though, as UTSA went on to win the game by eight.
Saturday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: Josh Killeen (3), Ian Bailey (11)
MTSU: Tatsunori Negishi (1), Luke Vinson (3), Jackson Galloway (6)
WP – Luke Malone (7-1): 6.2 IP, 9 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Peyton Wigginton (5-4): 4.2 IP, 11 hits, 8 runs (1 unearned), 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Up Next
The Roadrunners will return to Reese Smith Jr. Field tomorrow, May 1, for the series finale of the weekend series against Middle Tennessee. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. and the game will be broadcast on CUSA TV.
- UTSA -
