SAN ANTONIO – The No. 24 UTSA Baseball team is set for its second hometown showdown matchup with UIW on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+ at the Cardinals' home ballpark Sullivan Field.
FINALLY RANKED
For the first time in program history, the UTSA Roadrunners have earned rankings in national polls, including No. 24 in Baseball America, No. 27 in NCBWA and No. 23 in Perfect Game.
The Roadrunners have had a phenomenal first half of the season, winning every single one of their weekend series while sweeping three of them. UTSA went 3-1 last week, sweeping WKU in a three-game conference series. The .793 overall winning percentage and .889 conference winning percentage the Roadrunners have produced has finally caught the attention of the polls as UTSA earned spots on three different polls and received votes on another.
QUICK HITS
The Roadrunners and Cardinals lasts played each other on March 1 of this season when a stolen home by former UIW Cardinal Antonio Valdez was the difference in a 2-1 UTSA win over UIW.
Since this game, the Roadrunners have gone 15-4, including three weekend sweeps and 2-2 in midweeks. The Cardinals have gone 12-7, including two weekend sweeps and 2-2 in midweeks.
The Roadrunners is at the top of the conference in the top hitting and pitching categories, including first in earned run average (3.32) and second in batting average (.316). Simon Miller leads the nation in wins (6) and ERA (0.59). Antonio Valdez leads the conference in hits (45) and RBI (41).
D1Baseball released its midseason position rankings during the week of March 27 as a slew of Roadrunners made the lists at their respective positions. Simon Miller checked in at No. 9 in the top 50 relievers list, while Luke Malone is No. 53 in the top 100 starting pitchers list. Antonio Valdez earned No. 18 in the top 50 third basemen list, while Matt King landed at No. 29 in the top 50 shortstops and Leyton Barry sits at No. 40 in the top 50 second basemen list. Uli Quiroga earned a feature at No. 33 in the top strike-throwers list.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
Antonio Valdez leads the team with a batting average of .398, notching a conference-high 45 hits and 41 RBI, team-high eight home runs and eight stolen bases, along with 33 runs, six doubles, and four triples. Shane Sirdashney leads the Roadrunners with 35 runs, Matt King has a team-best five triples and Leyton Barry leads the team with nine doubles.
On the mound, Simon Miller leads the nation with a 0.59 ERA and six wins, along with a team-high 45 strikeouts. Other key performers include Ulises Quiroga (4-0, 31 K's), Luke Malone (2.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP), Ruger Riojas (3-0, 1.00 WHIP) and Daniel Shafer (.78 WHIP, 5 saves).
The Roadrunners lead the conference in multiple categories – ERA (3.32), hits (314), on-base percentage (.417), runs (223), scoring (7.7), slugging percentage (.507), triples (16), triples per game (0.55), WHIP (1.29), win-loss percentage (.793) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.21).
Miller is first in the nation with a 0.59 ERA and third in the nation with six wins. Valdez is 15th in the nation with 40 RBI, while recording a conference-best 45 hits, 41 RBI and 1.41 RBI per game. King leads the C-USA with five triples and 0.20 triples per game.
LAST WEEK FOR THE ROADRUNNERS
The Roadrunners hold an 23-6 overall record, after sweeping a three-game conference series against WKU this past weekend. The conference sweep extended UTSA's conference first-place standing (8-1) cushion to two games. The Roadrunners started the weekend off with a 3-2 win on Friday, before securing the series victory with a 5-4 win on Saturday and getting the series sweep with a 7-2 win on Sunday.
UTSA started last week off with an 8-2 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, an away matchup on March 28. Three Roadrunners notched two hits apiece – Antonio Valdez, Sammy Diaz and Tye Odom. Odom also hit his first career home run. Braylon Owens and Drake Smith both shined on the mound, turning in two scoreless frames each.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
At the halfway mark of the season, UIW has a 15-13 record, after taking two of three for a series win over Southeastern Louisiana this past weekend. After the Cardinals were picked to finish last in the Southland Conference Preseason Poll, UIW currently sits at a tie for first place with a 4-2 record.
Hernan Yanez leads the Cardinals with a .347 batting average, 35 hits and 10 doubles. UIW's Tuesday starter is to be announced. The Cardinals have split midweek starts between a multitude of pitchers, but Seth Higdon (0-3, 6.00), EJ Garcia (0-2, 8.84) and Carson Rollins (1-1, 6.75) had the most starts. Since UTSA last faced the UIW, the Cardinals have gone 12-7, including two weekend sweeps and 2-2 in midweeks.
SERIES HISTORY VS UIW
The Roadrunners lead the all-time series over the Cardinals by 18-11. The teams last played earlier this season on March 1, 2023, when UTSA defeated UIW by 2-1. Former UIW Cardinal Antonio Valdez stole home in the bottom of the eighth to break a five-inning span of tie ballgame and ensure the 2-1 win. Simon Miller earned his third win as he shut down the Cardinals in the final three innings.
FUEL TO THE FIVE
The Roadrunners were picked to finish fifth in the Conference USA, after a phenomenal season in 2022 in which UTSA broke multiple program records and advanced to the C-USA Championship game. Defending champion Louisiana Tech was voted to finish first. C-USA newcomer Dallas Baptist was picked to finish second, followed by Florida Atlantic at third and Charlotte at fourth.
ON DECK
The Roadrunners take their first road trip out of the state to face the Charlotte 49ers this Easter weekend, Thursday through Saturday. All three games are set to be broadcasted on ESPN+.
-UTSA-
