SAN ANTONIO -- A five-run bottom of the eighth – including homers from Ian Bailey, Kody Darcy and Chase Keng – broke open a tie game and lifted UTSA to a 7-2 win over UAB to even the three-game series, on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
Single runs took the game to 2-2 after three complete before the teams traded scoreless frames in the next four innings. After a shutout top of the eighth, UTSA rallied in the bottom of the frame with five runs to clinch the series-evening win and set up a rubber match to conclude the regular-season.
UTSA (34-19, 18-11 C-USA) is now 20-6 at home, and 18 league wins marks the fifth-most in program history and its most in its history in C-USA. The Roadrunners 34 wins is the seventh-most in school annals.
The Roadrunners tied their season high five home runs at the plate. Bailey, Darcy, Keng, Shane Sirdashney and Jonathan Tapia each belted homers. UTSA got two hits each from Bailey, Keng, Sirdashney, Tapia and Ryan Flores.
UTSA starter Jacob Jimenez earned his eighth start this season, with the Roadrunners improving to 7-1 in games he starts. The senior righty threw two innings, highlighted by four strikeouts, three in the first inning, and only allowed one run off three hits.
A freshman out of Elgin, Texas, Braylon Owens was called to the mound in the top of the third, and spun a gem, tossing a career-high 4.1 innings, allowing just four hits and one run, striking out a career-best five. Lefty Grant Miller was called from the bullpen in the seventh to strikeout UAB's left-handed hitting DH.
Luke Malone (8-3) took over in the seventh to close the game. Malone tossed 2.1 innings, allowing no runs, two hits and tallied six strikeouts. A native of Round Rock, Texas, Malone's eighth win moved him into a tie for seventh in single-season program history.
The Blazers started Leo Harris, who tossed four innings, allowing two runs from four hits and walked two batters. Jonah Smith was brought in to relieve Harris in the bottom of the fifth. Smith worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing one hit and two walks.
JC Sewell (1-1) was called on in relief in the bottom of the seventh to get two outs, allowing two hits. Thomas Ballard was the final reliever for the Blazers. Ballard pitched one inning, allowing three runs and four hits.
After a scoreless top of the first with Jimenez tossing his third strikeout with bases loaded, Sirdashney smashed a solo home run over the left field wall with two outs on the board to score the first run of the game, his fifth home run of the year.
With two runners on in the top of the second, the Blazers tied the game with an RBI single through the left side from Brandon Willoughby, 1-1.
UAB took the lead in the top of the third with a leadoff solo homer from Christian Hall as the Blazers took a 2-1 lead.
Tapia tied the game in the bottom of the third. Leading off for the Roadrunners, Tapia sent his sixth home run of the season out of the park over the left field wall, tying the game at 2-2.
After four scoreless innings, the Roadrunners used a five-run bottom of the eighth to regain the lead. A leadoff single to left field from Sirdashney was followed by a bunt from Flores. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch to set up a scoring opportunity for Killeen. Killeen reached on a fielder's choice and plated Sirdashney as UTSA took a 3-2 lead. With Killeen on, Keng slammed the third home run of the game, a two-run jack, to right center, his seventh of the year. Bailey followed, going back-to-back with Keng, sending his team-high 13th homer of the year out to left field. After an out, Darcy cranked the third homer of the inning to left field, his second of the year, for a five-run, lead.
Friday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: Shane Sirdashney (5); Jonathan Tapia (6); Chase Keng (7); Ian Bailey (13); Kody Darcy (2)
UAB: Christian Hall (9)
WP – Luke Malone (8-3): 2.1 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – JC Sewell (1-1): 0.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 0 walk, 0 strikeouts
Up Next
UTSA will conclude its conference slate against C-USA opponent UAB this weekend. The series will wrap up tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. and will be broadcast on CUSA TV.
GAME NOTES: UTSA is 34-19 in 2022 and 18-11 in conference play … UTSA's 34 wins is the seventh-most in program history … UTSA's 18 league wins marks the fifth-most in program history and its most in its history in C-USA … UTSA is 20-6 at home in 2022 and 36-17 at home under Coach Pat Hallmark … UTSA's 20-5 record at home is good for a .769 winning percentage, tied for the fourth-best in program history … 20 home wins is tied for the sixth-most in program annals …Hallmark is 66-53 in his third year and 132-100 over his five years as a head coach … UTSA is 26-11 vs. right-handed starting pitchers … The Roadrunners are 6-4 all-time vs. UAB and are 1-1 at home … UTSA is 12-6 in 2022 when scoring in the first inning and 25-14 under Hallmark … UTSA is 23-6 when scoring first and 43-21 under Hallmark … UTSA has 34 innings with four or more runs scored … Senior RHP Jacob Jimenez made his 14th appearance of the year and his eighth start … Jimenez has started 14 games in his career, over 25 appearances … UTSA is 7-1 when Jimenez starts in 2022 … UTSA is 26-2 in 2022 when leading after eight innings and 45-2 under Hallmark … Hallmark is 99-6 as a head coach when leading after eight … Senior 3B Jonathan Tapia played in his team-leading 206th career game, the 12th most in program history … Tapia hit his career-high sixth homer of the year and the 10th of his career … Tapia has scored 56 runs in 2022 ranking tied for 10th in program history … Tapia has scored 148 runs in his career, 11th most in program history … Senior RF Chase Keng played in his 182nd game and made his 143rd career start … Keng has 54 RBI in 2022, ranking 10th in single-season history … Keng is 7-for-9 with a homer and two doubles in the series … Senior 1B Ryan Flores has a 16 multi-hit games in 2022 … Graduate senior LF Ian Bailey made his team-leading 53rd consecutive start … Bailey doubled for the 15th time in 2022 and the 19th time in his career … Bailey cranked his team-high 13th homer of the year and the 19th of his career .. Junior CF Shane Sirdashney homered for the fifth time on the year and the second consecutive game … it was his first career time with homers in consecutive games … Sirdashney has now reached base safely in 35 of 39 starts in 2022 and in 71 of 85 career starts … Sirdashney has 20 career multi-hit games and 14 in 2022 … Freshman RHP Braylon Owens worked in his 14th game of the year … Owens has worked 28 innings in relief, allowing eight runs with 29 strikeouts, good for a 2.57 ERA … Graduate senior LHP Grant Miller worked in his team-leading 24th game of the year and the 45th of his career … Miller has inherited 18 runners in 2022, allowing seven to score … R-Junior RHP Luke Malone worked in his 17th game of the year and the 38th of his career … Malone has inherited four runners in 2022, allowing none to score … Malone is now 8-3 in 2022 and 10-5 in his career … Malone ranks tied for seventh in wins in single-season history … Graduate senior SS Kody Darcy laid down his second sac bunt of the year … Darcy hit his second homer of the year … R-Sophomore C Josh Killeen has reached base safely in a team-leading 13 straight games.
- UTSA -
