SAN ANTONIO -- Josh Killeen drove in three runs and a career-high three shutout innings from Braylon Owens coupled to help UTSA to a 6-3 victory over Marshall, on Friday evening at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (31-15, 15-7 Conference USA) improved to 18-4 at home – the 10th most home wins in program history – in 2022 with the win and still sport the highest home winning percentage in program history (.818). The Roadrunners also won their 31st game of the year, tied for the 10th most in single-season history.
UTSA had a four-run second inning to take the lead and added on with a tally in the third. Marshall cut into the lead with two in the fifth and the Roadrunners added an insurance run in the eighth. The Herd threatened in the ninth, getting the bases loaded to bring the go-ahead run to the plate but UTSA held off the charge for the series-opening win.
A three-RBI double from Killeen in the second inning jumpstarted the scoring for UTSA. A hit to right center with bases loaded boosted UTSA to an early 4-0 lead after a scoreless first inning. Killeen was 2-for-3 at the plate against the Thundering Herd, smashing his fifth and sixth doubles and 17th RBI of the season.
Killeen and Leyton Barry led the Roadrunners at the plate, with Barry going for a game-high three hits. Ian Bailey also slugged his team-leading 12th home run of the year. Jonathan Tapia, Chase Keng and Shane Sirdashney joined the pair with a knock, with Sirdashney stretching his reached base safely streak to 23 games.
UTSA starter Daniel Garza recorded his third career start and second of the year. Garza held Marshall without an earned run in 4.2 innings, surrendering just a pair of unearned runs with three strikeouts.
Grant Miller came to the mound to relieve Garza in the fifth and got an out, walking one. Called from the bullpen, Braylon Owens (3-1) worked a career-high three innings, shutting out Marshall's offense, only allowing one run, three hits and three strikeouts on 66 pitches. Simon Miller relieved Owens in the top of the ninth to close for the Roadrunners. Miller tossed one inning, recording one hit and two strikeouts to close the game, picking up his first save of the year.
Marshall's Jeffrey Purnell (5-4) started on the mound and worked seven innings, allowing five runs from five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts on 112 tosses. Cole Agemy came in to relieve Purnell in the bottom of the eighth. Agemy tossed one inning, allowing one run from two hits, one walk and one strikeout.
After a scoreless first inning, Barry reached with a single through the right side. A walk pulled from Sammy Diaz put two Roadrunners on base. Sirdashney sent a single down the right field line to load the bases. With two outs and bases juiced, Tapia was walked with a full count to score Barry. A three-RBI double from Killeen to right center scored Tapia, Sirdashney and Diaz as UTSA took a 4-0 lead.
A leadoff home run to center field from Bailey in the bottom of the third carved a five-run lead for the Roadrunners. It was his 12th homer of the year – a career high – and the 18th of his UTSA career.
Marshall put two runs on the board in the fifth to cut UTSA's lead to three runs.
UTSA added another run to its lead in the bottom of the eighth. Keng sent a double to the right field wall and advanced on a wild pitch as Sirdashney was walked to put two runners on base. With Keng on third, a wild pitch allowed him to score for a 6-2 lead.
One in the top of the ninth gave Marshall a boost to close the scoring gap to three runs as they trialed UTSA 6-3, with Miller coming on to get the final three outs, all with the bases loaded, fanning a pair.
Friday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: Ian Bailey (12)
Marshall: N/A
WP – Braylon Owens (3-1): 1.2 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts
SV – Simon Miller (1): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
LP – Jeffrey Purnell (5-4): 7 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Up Next
The series will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Roadrunner Field, live on CUSA TV. The Roadrunners will start junior righty Luke Malone (7-1, 1.99 ERA) vs. Marshall sophomore righty Patrick Copen (2-3, 5.48 ERA).
GAME NOTES: UTSA is 31-15 and 15-7 in Conference USA … UTSA's 31 wins are tied for 10th most in single-season program history … The Roadrunners are 18-4 at home in 2022 and 34-15 under Coach Pat Hallmark … UTSA's 18 home wins are tied for 10th most in program history … UTSA's .818 winning percentage is currently the best in program history … UTSA is 23-7 in 2022 vs. right-handed starting pitchers … UTSA is 14-4 in night games on the year … UTSA is 20-5 in 2022 when scoring first and 40-20 under Hallmark when scoring first … UTSA is 26-2 when leading after six innings, 23-2 when leading after seven and 24-2 when leading after eight innings … Under Hallmark, UTSA is 51-3 when leading after six, 42-3 when leading after seven and 44-2 when leading after eight innings … UTSA is 29-4 when out hitting its opponent and 54-15 under Hallmark … UTSA is 6-7 when hitting at least one homer … UTSA had its 32ndinning of at least four runs scored on the year … Sophomore RHP Daniel Garza made his 10th appearance and his third start … Garza has appeared in 23 games with three starts … UTSA is 3-0 in Garza's starts … Senior 1B Ryan Flores has reached in 20 straight games … Flores has been hit by five pitches in his UTSA career and 12 in his collegiate career … Senior CF Shane Sirdashney has reached base safely in 23 consecutive games, a team high … Sirdashney has a six-game hitting streak … Sophomore DH Josh Killeen has a five-game hitting streak … Killeen has doubled six times in 2022 and eight times in his career … Killeen has four multi-RBI games on the year and five in his career … Killeen has nine career multi-hit games and six in 2022 … Senior 3B Jonathan Tapia played in his 200th career game … Tapia doubled for the team-high 19th time on the year and the 36th time in his career … Junior C Sammy Diaz was hit by his 12th pitch of the year … Senior LF Ian Bailey cranked his team-high and career-high 12th homer of the year and the 18th of his UTSA career … Senior 2B Leyton Barry stole his fourth base of the year and the 11th of his career … Barry has 19 multi-hit games on the year and 43 in his career … Senior LHP Grant Millerworked in his 10th game of the year and the 41st of his career … Miller has inherited 14 runners, allowing only six to score in 2022 … Freshman RHP Braylon Owens appeared in his 12th game of the year … Owens has inherited eight runners, allowing three to score in 2022 … Senior RF Chase Keng doubled for the 13th time on the year and the 25th time in his career … Sophomore RHP Simon Miller worked in his 15thgame of the year and the 25th of his career … Miller has inherited 15 runners, allowing six to score … Miller earned his first career save.
- UTSA -
