SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA baseball program wrapped up one of the school's most successful seasons ever last month, falling to Louisiana Tech in the Conference USA Championship game 9-8 on a walk-off base hit from the Bulldogs.
The record-breaking season saw the Roadrunners achieve a 38-20 mark. The 38 wins are the third most in program history, and 11 of those 38 wins came against ranked teams – a program best. UTSA found itself squarely in the at-large picture throughout the latter portion of the year, as it won 25 of its final 35 games to close the year strong, concluding the regular season with a school record 37 RPI.
UTSA finished 19-11 in Conference USA play, its best in the history of the league, and most wins in conference play since it won 20 as a member of the Southland in 2009. The Roadrunners entered the Conference USA tournament in a three-way tie for third place which ended up giving UTSA the five seed. The Roadrunners ran through their side of the bracket, going a perfect 3-0 and dumping tournament host and nationally ranked one seed Southern Miss twice along the way before falling in the championship game to second-place Louisiana Tech.
In three seasons under Coach Pat Hallmark, UTSA has seen its win total increase each season. Though partially due to COVID impacting the first two seasons' length, the Roadrunners saw a 12-game win increase from year one to two and a 16-game win increase (second most in school history) between year two and three.
Team Notes
- The Roadrunners won the third-most games in program history, a win shy of the school record.
- UTSA's 38 wins were the most since the record 39 in 2008 and 1994.
- The Roadrunners won 25 of their final 35 games of the year.
- A year after setting the record for most games against top-25 foes, the Roadrunners set a school record with an 11-4 record against ranked opponents and a 9-3 mark against top-25 foes.
- UTSA led Conference USA in wins over ranked opponents.
- UTSA's 19-11 record in C-USA was its best in its history in the league and the most since winning 20 in the Southland in 2009.
- UTSA went 21-6 at home, ranking fourth in school history for home wins and third in home winning percentage (.778).
- UTSA had three separate six-game winning streaks, the first team in program history with multiple 6+ win streaks in a single year.
- UTSA's 27-13 record was its second-best 40-game start to a season in school history.
- UTSA advanced to the finals of the C-USA Tournament for the second time in school history (2014 vs. Rice).
- Three wins in the C-USA Tournament are tied for the most in its history in C-USA.
- UTSA received votes in a major poll in 10 of 15 weeks of the year.
- The Roadrunners had a No. 37 RPI entering the NCAA Tournament and will set a school record for RPI to end the season, which was previously No. 66 in 2007 (date available back to 1997).
- UTSA had two of the top four months in program history, including a 7-1 Feb. and a 15-3 April. Only a 13-1 Feb. in 1994 and a 15-2 April in 2008 were better months.
- UTSA tied the single-season record with 467 runs scored, the most since 2008.
- UTSA struck out 519 on the year, a new program record, the only 500+ strikeout season in school history, breaking the record of 454 in 2018.
- UTSA finished the year ranked fifth in single-season history in doubles.
- UTSA set a new program record for RBI in a season.
- UTSA hit the third-most home runs in program history and the most since 2010.
- UTSA had the fourth-most walks in a season and the most since 1996.
- UTSA set the program standard with 89 hit by pitches.
- UTSA's .401 on-base percentage was the second-best in program history and the best since 1996.
- UTSA tied a single game record for most sacrifice flies in a game against TCU on 3/30 with three.
Individual Notes
- Chase Keng finished the year with the eighth-most RBI in single season history (57).
- Keng tied the school record for most hits in a game against UAB on 5/19 with five.
- Jonathan Tapia broke the school record for hit by pitch (53) while concluding his career playing in the ninth-most games in program history.
- Tapia also ranked sixth in school history with 21 doubles in 2022 and ninth in single-season runs scored (59).
- Tapia tied the school record with most sacrifice flies in a career with 14.
- Ian Bailey cranked 16 homers on the year, the sixth most in program history and the most since 2010.
- Bailey scored 60 runs in 2022, the sixth-most in single-season history.
- Bailey recorded 140 total bases on the year, the eighth most in a UTSA single season.
- Bailey finished his UTSA career with a .560 slugging percentage, eighth highest in school history.
- Ryan Flores and Bailey hit 10+ homers each to become just the eighth pair of players in UTSA history with 10+ homers in a single season and the first since 2017.
- Flores tied the school record for most walks drawn in a single game with four against Houston Baptist on 3/15.
- Leyton Barry currently owns the third best career batting average in school annals with a .355.
- Barry also currently owns the eighth best career on-base percentage with a .416.
- Luke Malone won nine games, the second-most in single-season history.
- Daniel Shafer had five saves, the ninth-most in single-season program history.
Awards
- UTSA had four players earn All-Conference USA honors, including first-team selection at starting pitcher, Luke Malone, second-team honorees Leyton Barry (infield) and Jonathan Tapia (utility) and C-USA All-Freshman Team selection Matt King.
- UTSA had two players earn weekly C-USA honors, Chase Keng as hitter of the week on May 23 and Daniel Shafer as pitcher of the week on March 7.
- Luke Malone was named to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
- Ryan Flores, Chase Keng, Garrett Poston and Luke Malone each made the C-USA All-Tournament Team.
- Sammy Diaz became the second consecutive Roadrunner to be named to the Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Watch List in 2022. Nick Thornquist was a semifinalist in 2021.
National Rankings
UTSA ranked among the national leaders in several categories (as of 5/30):
- .304 Batting Average: 25th in nation, 1st in C-USA
- 125 Doubles: 25th in nation, 3rd in C-USA
- 620 Hits: 18th in nation, 1st in C-USA
- 36 Sac Flies: 7th in nation, 1st in C-USA
- 8.1 runs per game, Scoring: 25th in nation, 3rd in C-USA
- 4 Shutouts, 32nd in nation, 4th in C-USA
- Luke Malone ranked 18th in the nation and first in C-USA with nine wins.
- Sammy Diaz ranked 16th in the nation and first in C-USA among the toughest to strike out, fanning once per 13.5 at-bats.
- UTSA -