SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA baseball team swept a doubleheader against Saint Mary's on Saturday at Roadrunner Field, winning the first game by 11-8 and the second game by 9-4.
GAME ONE: UTSA 11, SMC 8
Matt King led the Roadrunners with a 4-for-5 game, including a pair of doubles, two runs and a RBI. Simon Miller earned his first save of the season as he pitched four shutout innings to close the game. Freshman Ruger Riojas earned his first win as he struck out a pair in 2.2 innings pitched while allowing three runs on three hits.
The Gaels jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as they plated three runs in the top of the first. The Roadrunners responded with a one-run triple by Antonio Valdez in the bottom of the frame. UTSA then added another run in the bottom of the second as King scored on a sacrifice fly by Dalton Porter. Saint Mary's added another pair of runs in the third, but UTSA responded with two in the bottom of the frame as Leyton Barry scored on a Valdez ground out and Josh Killeen singled to drive in King.
The Roadrunners took their first lead of the game as three runs scored on a fielder's choice and a pair of doubles in the bottom of the fourth to give UTSA a 7-5 advantage. A couple home runs by Saint Mary's in the top of the fifth inning gave the Gaels an 8-7 lead. UTSA once again matched that in the bottom of the frame. A single and a couple walks loaded the bases as Barry singled through the right side to drive in Killeen. Then, Valdez was hit by pitch to drive in another run. After a Saint Mary's pitching change, a sacrifice fly by Caleb Hill drove in Shane Sirdashney to give UTSA a 10-8 lead. The Roadrunners added the last run of the game in the bottom of the sixth as Sirdashney hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Killeen. UTSA defeated Saint Mary's, 11-8, in game one of the doubleheader and tied the series at 1-1.
GAME TWO: UTSA 9, SMC 4 (7)
In the second game of the twinbill, Sirdashney led the team with a perfect 3-for-3 game with four runs and a double. Quiroga earned his first win of the season (1-0) as he allowed two runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings pitched with four strikeouts.
The Roadrunners struck first in the first inning as Hill singled to the pitcher to drive in Sirdashney for the 1-0 UTSA lead. In the bottom of the third, Valdez doubled to drive in two. Then just a couple plays later, Valdez scored on a double play to extend UTSA's lead to 4-0. The Gaels scored their first run with a solo home run in the fourth, but the Roadrunners responded with two more on a Valdez double to left center. Saint Mary's hit another solo home run in the fifth inning, while UTSA matched that with a one-run single by James Taussig in the bottom of the frame – his first hit as a Roadrunner. UTSA extended its lead to 9-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a King single that drove in Sirdashney and a Porter sacrifice fly that drove in Valdez. The Gaels added another pair of runs in the top of the seventh, but it wasn't enough as UTSA took a 9-4 victory over Saint Mary's in the seven-inning second game of the doubleheader.
The Roadrunners improve to a 5-2 record, while Saint Mary's falls to a 2-6 record.
ON DECK
The Roadrunners conclude the series against Saint Mary's on Sunday with a first pitch time set for 1 p.m. CT.
-UTSA-
