SAN ANTONIO – Chase Keng cranked a two-run homer as part of a six-run seventh inning to lead UTSA to a run-rule, seven-inning win over UAB in the series-deciding rubber match, on Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (35-19, 19-11 Conference USA) wrapped up its regular-season schedule with a run-rule win in the rubber match on Saturday, winning its seventh series in 10 tries in conference play. The Roadrunners rank fourth in program history in home wins (21) and home winning percentage (.778), while ranking tied for fifth in single-season wins (35).
The Roadrunners controlled the game throughout, getting two in the first, one in the second and fourth innings and answering a UAB two-run frame in the sixth. UTSA then finished off the win with a six-run seventh inning that saw Keng end the game with his eighth homer of the year.
Leyton Barry led the Roadrunners with a 4-for-4 game, tying his season best, with an RBI. Keng, a fifth-year senior out of Deer Park, Texas, went 8 for 13 on the senior day weekend with two homers, two doubles and four RBI. He was 5-for-5 on Thursday in the series opener, the 15th five-hit game in program history.
UTSA also got a two-homer game from fellow senior Ian Bailey, who scored four runs. He cranked his 14thand 15th homers of the year, the most for a Roadrunner since 2015 and the eighth-most homers in UTSA single-season history. A San Antonio Stevens High School product, Bailey cranked three homers over the weekend.
UTSA also got two hits from Jonathan Tapia, with Shane Sirdashney, Ryan Flores, Josh Killeen, Garrett Poston and Kody Darcy each collecting hits. Tapia drove in three runs, with Flores hitting his 11th homer of the year and Darcy ripping a two-run triple.
The Roadrunners turned to sophomore righty Ryan Ward for his sixth start of the year, with the Schertz, Texas, native working a shutout first inning, allowing a pair of walks.
Ulises Quiroga (2-4) opened the second inning after UTSA plated two in the bottom of the first. He worked four-plus innings, allowing just two hits and a walk, striking out six. After a leadoff runner opened the sixth reaching on an error, UTSA turned to lefty Grant Miller for a left-handed matchup. Miller allowed a two-run homer before giving way to Fischer Kingsbery, who worked two shutout innings, allowing a hit with three strikeouts.
UAB (31-23, 13-17 C-USA) starter Brooks Walton (6-5) worked three innings, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk, striking out three. Carson Myers opened the fourth inning, working two innings, allowing a run on three hits. Dalton Skinner started the sixth inning, allowing two runs on two hits and a pair of walks, getting an out before Collin Taylor entered. Taylor got four outs, allowing two hits and one run. UAB also used Aidan Moza, who allowed three runs in the seventh.
The Roadrunners will return to action on Wednesday in the first round of the C-USA Championships in Hattiesburg, Miss. The bracket will be announced on Saturday evening by the league office.
Flores cranked a full-count, two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to put the Roadrunners up early. It was his 11th homer of the year.
Bailey belted a homer in the bottom of the second, a line-drive shot out to right-centerfield. It was his team-leading 14th homer of the year and the 20th of his UTSA career.
Christian Hall cut into the lead with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, his 10th of the year.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, UTSA got a leadoff walk from Bailey and a single from Barry. After a sacrifice bunt from Kody Darcy pushed the pair into scoring position, Tapia lined a two-run single into centerfield to push the lead to 6-2.
GAME NOTES: UTSA is 35-19 in 2022 and 19-11 in conference play … UTSA's 35 wins is the fifth-most in program history and the most since winning 35 in 2014 … UTSA's 19 league wins marks the fifth-most in program history and its most in its history in C-USA … UTSA is 21-6 at home in 2022 and 37-17 at home under Coach Pat Hallmark … UTSA's 21-6 record at home is good for a .778 winning percentage, fourth-best in program history … 21 home wins is tied for the fourth-most in program annals … Hallmark is 67-53 in his third year and 133-100 over his five years as a head coach … UTSA is 27-11 vs. right-handed starting pitchers … The Roadrunners are 7-4 all-time vs. UAB and are 2-1 at home … UTSA is 13-6 in 2022 when scoring in the first inning and 26-14 under Hallmark … UTSA is 24-6 when scoring first and 44-21 under Hallmark … Sophomore RHP Ryan Ward made his 13th appearance of the year and his sixth start … Ward has appeared in 20 games with eight starts … Senior 3B Jonathan Tapia played in his team-leading 207thcareer game, the 10th most in program history … Tapia has 13 multi-RBI games in 2022 and 26 in his career … Tapia has scored 57 runs in 2022 ranking tied for ninth in program history … Tapia has scored 149 runs in his career, ninth most in program history … Senior RF Chase Keng played in his 183rd game and made his 144th career start … Keng has a career-high eight homers on the year and 18 in his career … Keng has 56 RBI in 2022, ranking ninth in single-season history … Keng was 8-for-13 with two homers and two doubles in the series … Senior 1B Ryan Flores hit his 11th home run of the year … Flores has 20 two-out hits in 2022 and 16 two-out RBI … Graduate senior LF Ian Bailey made his team-leading 54th consecutive start … Bailey hit his team-leading and career-high 14th and 15th homers of the year and has 21 in his UTSA career … Bailey homered for the second consecutive game … it was the second time Bailey has homered in consecutive games in 2022 … Bailey's 15 homers are the most for a Roadrunner since 2015 when Jesse Baker had 15 … It is the eighth most homers in a single-season in UTSA history … It was Bailey's third game in 2022 with two homers … Bailey has 22 multi-hit games on the year and 32 in his career … Bailey has 16 multi-RBI games in 2022 and 21 in his career … Bailey was hit by his 10th pitch of the year and the 23rd of his career … Sophomore RHP Ulises Quiroga appeared in his 14th game of the year … Quiroga struck out a career-high six … It was Quiroga's longest outing since going 4.1 innings vs. Southern on March 5 … Quiroga is 2-4 on the year … Junior CF Shane Sirdashney has now reached base safely in 36 of 40 starts in 2022 and in 72 of 86 career starts … Sirdashney has been hit by 12 pitches in 2022 and 22 in his career … Sirdashney stole his fourth base of the year and the 11th of his career … R-Sophomore C Josh Killeen has reached base safely in a team-leading 14 straight games … Killeen stole his third base of the year … Junior 2B Leyton Barry doubled for the 13th time in 202 and the 22nd time in his career … Barry has 21 multi-hit games in 2022 and 45 in his career … Barry has six steals in 2022 and 13 in his career … Barry has reached base safely in 42 of 49 games in 2022 and in 77 of 94 career games … Barry tied his season high with four hits, done last vs. Southern on March 4 … Graduate student LHP Grant Miller worked in his team-leading 25th game of the year and the 46th time in his career … Sophomore RHP Fischer Kingsbery worked in his 14th game of the year and the 21st of his career … Graduate student SS Kody Darcy laid down his third sacrifice bunt of the year … Darcy tripled for the first time in his career.
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