BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A clutch three-run home run by Antonio Valdez topped a four-run ninth frame rally, leading the No. 25 UTSA baseball team to a 6-5 comeback victory over UAB on Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field.
QUICK HITS
- Taylor Smith and Sammy Diaz led the Roadrunners with two hits apiece.
- Leyton Barry hit a solo home run for the second game in a row.
- Ryan Beaird earned his third win of the season (3-1), keeping the Blazers scoreless on just one hit in two innings of work.
- Simon Miller earned his eighth save, successfully keeping UAB off the board as he closed the ninth frame.
- This marks UTSA's second comeback win this season when trailing after the eighth inning, both coming during this week.
- The Roadrunners improved to a 32-11 overall record (15-4 in C-USA action), while UAB fell to a 14-28 overall record (5-15 in conference play).
BREAKDOWN OF THE GAME
The first inning looked promising as the Roadrunners took an early 2-0 lead. Barry launched a solo home run to lead off the frame, while Killeen hit an RBI single a few batters later. In the bottom of the frame, starting pitcher Drake Smith sat down the Blazers in order, first allowing a single but then escaping the inning unscathed with a double play and flyout.
The Blazers got on the board in the bottom of the second as they scored three runs on a couple singles and a groundout to take a 3-2 lead.
The third frame went scoreless as Daniel Garza relieved D. Smith and recorded a couple flyouts and a strikeout to put a zero on the board.
The Blazers scored one run in each of the fourth and fifth innings on a leadoff solo home run and a double, respectively, to jump out to a 5-2 lead.
Freshman Ruger Riojas forced a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts and a popout.
Beaird entered the game to put in a couple innings of work in the seventh and eighth. In the seventh, he allowed a single but put up a scoreless frame thanks to two groundouts and a flyout. In the eighth inning, he forced another couple of flyouts as well as a groundout to force UAB into its third straight scoreless frame.
On the other end, the Roadrunners were struggling to find production at the plate, stranding seven runners from the second through eighth innings.
Down by three runs heading to the final frame, the Roadrunners didn't let that deter them, knowing they had made a similar rally against Houston Christian earlier in the week. Pinch hitter Clark Henry worked a full count to lead off the frame with a walk.
After a pitching change by the Blazers, Barry earned a four-pitch walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. T. Smith then recorded his second hit of the game, a single to load the bases, still with no outs on the board.
Next up, Caleb Hill hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the Roadrunners' first run since the first inning and begin the rally.
Coming up to bat with one out and runners on the corners was Antonio Valdez, just who the Roadrunners like to see in clutch situations. The senior watched the first pitch hit the strike zone, before watching two more fall outside the zone. With a 2-1 count, Valdez saw a pitch he liked and unleashed on it, sending it out past the left field wall and giving the 6-5 lead to UTSA.
The Roadrunners' star closer Miller then came in to seal the win in the bottom of the ninth. The junior reliever forced a putout to start the inning. He then allowed a double but didn't let the Blazers get much past that. Miller forced a first pitch groundout and a flyout to secure the 6-5 win for UTSA over UAB in game two of the series.
ON DECK
The Roadrunners and Blazers play the rubber match on Sunday at 12 p.m. at Young Memorial Field. First pitch is set for noon CT on ESPN+.
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