SAN ANTONIO – UTSA is set to host UAB in the final Conference USA three-game series of the year this week, starting on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Roadrunner Field. The series will resume on Friday at 6 p.m. and will conclude on Saturday at 12 p.m. with all three games being streamed on CUSA TV.
UTSA (33-18, 17-10 C-USA) was knocked from Conference USA title contention this past weekend dropping two of three to league-leader Southern Miss. However, the Roadrunners can still finish as high as second in the conference or as low as seven. La Tech owns an 18-9 mark in conference play, followed by UTSA and MTSU with 17-10 marks and then a cluster of Charlotte, ODU and FAU sit at 16-11 as the seeding for the Conference USA Championships is heating up. The C-USA Championships will follow and are hosted by Southern Miss May 25-29.
This 2022 Roadrunner squad has an opportunity to make history within UTSA athletics as they continue to assert themselves as a potential NCAA Tournament at-large team, something no other UTSA team – in any sport with the same postseason structure – has ever accomplished. Following the second-best month of April record in school history (15-3), the Roadrunners are now 3-5 in the month of May and currently own a 45 RPI. UAB enters the weekend sitting at a 93 RPI in the country. The Roadrunners have received votes in ten of thirteen weeks, including the last seven polls.
Projected Pitching Matchups
UTSA will turn to sophomore right-hander Daniel Garza (3-0, 3.69 ERA) against UAB senior righty Jackson Reynolds (2-5, 3.67 ERA) on Thursday. UTSA will start senior right-hander Jacob Jimenez (2-1, 5.04 ERA) on Friday vs. UAB sophomore righty Leo Harris (3-1, 4.35 ERA). On Saturday, UTSA has not yet determined a starter and UAB will start junior righty Brooks Walton (6-4, 4.48 ERA).
A native of Houston, Garza will be making his fourth weekend start on Thursday. On the year, Garza has worked in 11 games with four starts, tossing 31.2 innings, allowing 33 hits and 20 walks, striking out 34, with foes hitting .270. In his last outing, Garza worked five innings in a winning effort to open the series at No. 11 Southern Miss, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks, striking out four on 74 pitches. He surrendered a three-run inning early in the game and after allowing a leadoff runner – who came around to score – to open the sixth with a 7-3 UTSA lead, was relieved. Over his two-year career, Garza has a 4-2 record and a 4.31 ERA in 24 games and four starts, tossing 54.1 innings, allowing 55 hits and 34 walks, striking out 57. Last year, Garza worked 1.2 innings at UAB in the series finale, a 16-14 UTSA win, allowing three earned runs over two hits and two walks, striking out two.
Reynolds, a transfer from Auburn who stands 6-foot-5, has made 13 starts for the Blazers in 2022, working a staff-best 73.2 innings, allowing 74 hits and 20 walks, striking out 64 with opponents hitting .261. On Friday vs. FIU, Reynolds worked five innings, allowing six hits and four runs, walking one and striking out four on 94 pitches. Three weeks ago vs. No. 4 Southern Miss, Reynolds worked 6.1 innings with six runs allowed over 87 pitches.
Jimenez, a native of Houston and a product of Galveston College, will be making his 14th appearance and eighth start of the year on Thursday. He has worked 30.1 innings, allowing 32 hits and 18 walks, striking out 29 with opponents hitting .269. Over his career, Jimenez is 5-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 24 games and 13 starts, tossing 57.2 innings, allowing 52 hits and 34 walks, striking out 52 with foes hitting .240. He worked two innings in a hard-luck starting loss at UAB last year in the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader, allowing one earned run in two innings, surrendering a hit and a walk with a strikeout while working on a pitch count during a recovery from injury. He worked two innings on Saturday at Southern Miss, allowing a run over four hits on 30 pitches vs. the No. 11 Golden Eagles.
A two-way player out of Biloxi, Miss., Harris has made 11 appearances and six starts for the Blazers in 2022, working 31 innings, allowing 31 hits and eight walks, striking out 24 with foes hitting .261. After one of the best outings of his career the previous weekend, tossing eight one-run innings at WKU, Harris worked an out in a start on Saturday vs. FIU, allowing two hits and three runs, walking two on 26 pitches. He worked six innings in a win over No. 4 Southern Miss three weeks ago, allowing just two runs.
The Roadrunners have not yet determined a starting pitcher for Saturday. Junior right-hander Luke Malone (7-3, 2.91 ERA) has been a force on the weekend for UTSA throughout the year but pitched in relief on Friday and Sunday at Southern Miss. Malone, who is tied for the league lead in wins, has worked a staff-high 74.1 innings, allowing only 71 hits and 13 walks, striking out 51 with foes hitting .246. Malone last worked on Sunday in relief at Southern Miss, tossing 6.2 innings over 88 pitches, surrendering seven hits and five runs with a walk and a strikeout. He also earned the save on Friday with 11 pitches at USM. In his career, Malone has a 9-5 record and a 4.45 ERA over 37 outings and 19 starts, tossing 123.1 innings, allowing 132 hits and 36 walks, striking out 87. Malone worked two innings in a 14-3 win at UAB in the third game of a four-game series last year in Birmingham, allowing six hits and three runs, walking two and striking out one. UTSA has also used Ryan Ward (1-0, 5.40 ERA), Braylon Owens (3-1, 5.25 ERA), Braden Davis (2-2, 5.77 ERA), Ulises Quiroga (1-4, 8.04 ERA), Grant Miller (1-1, 8.80 ERA) and Drake Smith (0-0, 11.37 ERA) in weekend starts this year. On Sunday at No. 11 Southern Miss, Smith earned the start, allowing three runs in one out. On the year, Smith has appeared in 10 games with four starts, tossing 12.2 innings, allowing 23 hits and nine walks, striking out 22 with opponents hitting .377.
A 6-5 fourth-year junior, Walton has started 13 games for UAB in 2022, working 62.1 innings, allowing 71 hits and 14 walks, striking out 30 with foes hitting .286. On Sunday vs. FIU, Walton worked 5.2 innings, allowing nine hits and four runs, walking one and striking out one on 77 pitches. Three weeks ago vs. No. 4 Southern Miss, Walton worked five innings with four runs allowed.
Leading the Roadrunners
UTSA (33-18, 17-10 C-USA) picked up a key win this past week in Hattiesburg over then No. 11 Southern Miss. That win coupled with earlier season opponents picking up key wins has boosted the Roadrunners up to a 45 RPI. The 45 ranking puts UTSA three spots away from the "magic number" of 42, as that's usually a benchmark for teams that are selected to the postseason.
The Roadrunners have hit .298/.399/.462 with 409 runs in 51 games, ripping 108 doubles, 13 triples and 53 home runs, stealing 25 bases. On the bump, UTSA has a collective 5.38 ERA across 441.1 innings, allowing 437 hits and 232 walks, striking out 452 opponents (the most in a single season in UTSA history) with the opposition hitting .255. When the Roadrunners are in the field, they are fielding at a .968 clip.
At the plate, senior centerfielder Shane Sirdashney leads the club with a .343 average, owning 10 doubles, three homers and 30 RBI. Senior second baseman Leyton Barry has hit .327 with 12 doubles, two triples, four homers and 35 RBI, while junior catcher Sammy Diaz has hit .319 with four homers and 28 RBI, owning a 17-11 walk-strikeout ratio in 144 at-bats. Fifth-year senior Jonathan Tapia has hit .308 with 19 doubles, five homers and 41 RBI, while fellow fifth-year senior rightfielder Chase Keng owns a .305 average with 14 doubles, two triples, six homers and 52 RBI. Sixth-year graduate-senior leftfielder Ian Bailey has batted .284 with 12 doubles, three triples, 12 homers and 44 RBI. Senior first baseman Ryan Flores has hit .322 with ten homers and 47 RBI, while sophomore Garrett Poston owns a .302 average with a homer and 21 RBI and freshman shortstop Matt King has hit .230 with 10 doubles and 22 RBI. Sophomore catcher Josh Killeen has added a .326 average with three homers and 19 RBI.
In relief, Daniel Shafer (3-1, 3.29 ERA) owns the 12th-most saves in UTSA single season history (five) with 38 strikeouts and just 13 hits allowed in 27.1 innings. John Chomko (2-0, 3.92 ERA), Simon Miller (3-3, 3.24 ERA), Ryan Ward (1-0, 5.40 ERA), Ryan Beaird (2-3, 6.31 ERA) and Fischer Kingsbery (0-0, 5.50 ERA) have each appeared in double-digit games in relief. Simon Miller has struck out 46 in 33.1 innings.
Series history
The Roadrunners lead the all-time series against UAB, 5-3. The two teams have never met in San Antonio, as seven games have been in Birmingham, Ala. and the other in the conference tournament. The last time the two squads met was last season when they played a four-game series. The two split the series at two games apiece, and the last game of the quartet was a 16-14 run-fest where UTSA came away with a win.
Scouting UAB
The Blazers (30-21, 12-15 C-USA) have hit .282 as a team through 51 games, with 312 runs scored, 48 homers and a 228-405 walk-strikeout ratio, stealing 55 bases. On the mound, UAB totes a 4.51 team ERA in 446.2 innings, allowing 461 hits and 178 walks, striking out 381 and holding foes to a .266 average. Defensively, UAB has fielded .960 with 75 errors in 51 outings.
UAB enters the final weekend series coming off of a weekday win over Troy. Prior to downing Troy, UAB dropped a weekend series to the FIU Panthers 2-1. The Blazers dropped the first two contests to the Panthers by a single run each game before winning game three by ten runs. In the weekend series before FIU, UAB took down Southern Miss and handed the Golden Eagles their first conference series loss.
Outfielder Christian Hall leads UAB with a .379 average on 64 hits, owning nine doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 41 RBI. Infielder John Marc Mullins has started each game for the Blazers and has hit .330 on 67 hits with 13 doubles, one triple, four homers and 19 RBI, while outfielder Daryl Buggs has 50 hits with a .301 average, sporting nine doubles and 31 RBI. Infielder Josh Sears has hit .253 with 15 homers and 59 RBI, both to lead the team.
Schedule
Thursday * UTSA vs. UAB * 6 p.m. [CUSA TV]
Friday * UTSA vs. UAB * 6 p.m. [CUSA TV]
Saturday * UTSA vs. UAB * 11:30 a.m. [CUSA TV]
Weekend Promotions
Thursday
- Football's Rashad Wisdom to throw out first pitch
Friday
- Pregame graduation ceremony
Saturday
- Senior Day
- Anthem Buddies
Projected Weekend Rotation
Friday
So. RHP Daniel Garza (3-0, 3.69 ERA) vs. Sr. RHP, Jackson Reynolds (2-5, 3.67 ERA)
Saturday
Sr. RHP Jacob Jimenez (2-1, 5.04 ERA) vs. So. RHP, Leo Harris (3-1, 4.35 ERA)
Sunday
TBD vs. R-Jr. RHP, Brooks Walton (6-4, 4.48 ERA)
UP NEXT: UTSA will head back to Hattiesburg Mississippi for the second time in two weeks, as Southern Miss is the host site of the CUSA Championships. Seeding is still being decided, however, UTSA will play on Tuesday, May 24 on ESPN +.
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