SAN ANTONIO – The No. 22 UTSA baseball team plays host to a three-game conference series against in-state foe Rice this weekend. The series opener on Friday is set for 6 p.m., while Saturday's first pitch is at 2 p.m. and Sunday will see a 1 p.m. start, all available to stream on CUSA.tv with a subscription.
REELING IN THE RANKINGS
The Roadrunners moved up to No. 22 in D1Baseball rankings this week, after spending the past two weeks at the 25th spot. The team also moved up in the rankings by Baseball America (22) and NCBWA (25), while staying at No. 24 in Perfect Game this week.
Last week, UTSA held the No. 25 spot in the D1Baseball rankings, college baseball's elite poll, for the second consecutive week. UTSA also saw three more rankings during the week of April 24, including No. 23 in Baseball America, No. 28 in NCBWA and No. 24 in Perfect Game.
The baseball team made its first appearance in the D1Baseball Rankings in program history on April 17, clocking in at No. 25. The Roadrunners also earned a spot on three other polls during that week - No. 22 in Baseball America, No. 25 in Collegiate Baseball (first appearance) and No. 28 in NCBWA.
The Roadrunners first found a spot in national rankings during the week of April 3, earning No. 24 in Baseball America, No. 27 in NCBWA and No. 23 in Perfect Game.
QUICK HITS
UTSA has won all 10 of its three/four game weekend series this season, including four series sweeps. Three of those weekend series sweeps came in conference play against Florida Atlantic, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.
The Roadrunners are at the top of the conference in the top hitting and pitching categories, including first in batting average (.309) and second in earned run average (4.28). Simon Miller is third in the nation in ERA (1.10), 15th in the nation in wins (7) and sixth in the nation in saves (9). Antonio Valdez is fourth in the nation in triples (6) and Sammy Diaz is the third-toughest batter to strike out in the nation (20.7).
In conference play, UTSA leads the conference with a .390 on-base percentage in league play, while sitting in second with a .466 slugging percentage. Playing in close situations in C-USA action, the Roadrunners have held strong as they hold the conference-best 10 saves.
SIMON (MILLER) SAYS
Junior Simon Miller has had a truly phenomenal season, leading the nation in ERA for more than a month. As of May 4, he's currently third in the nation in ERA, 15th in the nation in wins and sixth in saves.
Miller earned a pair of midseason honors, including D1Baseball Midseason All-American Second Team and NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List. He was named to NCBWA's Preseason Watch List before the start of the season as well.
Miller earned the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 28, his first weekly honor in his career as a Roadrunner. He earned the honor after earning a win and save, leading UTSA to a 4-1 record during the week of Feb. 21.
Prior to the start of the season, he was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List and Conference USA Preseason All-Conference Team as one of just two relief pitchers on that conference team (the other reliever being his teammate Daniel Shafer).
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
Antonio Valdez leads the team with a batting average of .371, 55 RBI, 66 hits, 46 runs, six triples and 16 stolen bases. Taylor Smith has a team-high 10 home runs and Leyton Barry leads the team with 13 doubles.
On the mound, Simon Miller leads the team with a 1.10 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, seven wins, nine saves and 64 strikeouts. Other key performers include Ulises Quiroga (7-2, 52 K's), Luke Malone (1.25 WHIP, 56 K's), Ruger Riojas (4-0, 1.22 WHIP) and Daniel Shafer (1.17 WHIP, 5 saves).
IN THE C-USA AND IN THE NATION
The Roadrunners lead the conference in multiple categories – batting average (.309), hits (481), on-base percentage (.410), triples (23) – fourth in the nation in the category, triples per game (0.51), and walks allowed per nine innings (3.25).
Miller leads the conference in ERA (1.10), while him and Uli Quiroga lead the league in wins (7). Valdez leads the conference with 55 RBI (34th in the nation) and six triples (fourth in the nation). Sammy Diaz is the third-toughest batter to strike out in the nation (20.7).
GOING STREAKING
The Roadrunners have been a part of a lot of streaks this season, the biggest one being their 10-game winning streak early in the season.
Taylor Smith has a reached-base streak of 34 games that just ended this past weekend at UAB. Antonio Valdez went on a similar streak, reaching base in 26 consecutive games to start the season.
Caleb Hill and Leyton Barry are currently on 11-game reached-base streaks.
LAST WEEK FOR THE ROADRUNNERS
The Roadrunners hold a 33-12 overall record, after a 18-2 loss to WAC powerhouse Sam Houston on Tuesday. Aiden Baumann collected his first two career hits in three at-bats in the game.
UTSA earned a series victory over UAB in Birmingham last weekend on April 28-30. Although UTSA lost the series opener against the Blazers, the squad rallied for two exciting wins on Saturday and Sunday of the series.
In Saturday's win, the Roadrunners used a four-run ninth-inning to come back from a three-run deficit. A three-run homerun by Antonio Valdez lifted UTSA over UAB. On Sunday, selfless hitting combined with great pitching also helped rally the Roadrunners to a 9-4 win to secure the series victory, UTSA's 10th series victory of the season.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
Rice has a 17-26 overall record and 7-14 in Conference USA, after falling to Houston by 8-5 in a 12-inning thriller on Wednesday. In conference play, the Owls have only one series during the first weekend of C-USA action on March 17-19 against UAB. They have been swept twice in conference action, including this past weekend against then-No. 19 and conference leader DBU.
The Owls were picked to finish eighth in their Preseason Coaches' Poll and they are currently sitting in that place in the conference standings.
Pierce Gallo leads the Owls with a .297 batting average and 47 hits. Connor Walsh has a team-high 33 runs, 30 RBI and 10 doubles. Rice's Friday ace Parker Smith holds a team-best 2.14 ERA, fanning 71 in 67.1 innings pitched.
SERIES HISTORY VS RICE
The Owls hold a 28-17 all-time series record over the Roadrunners. The last time UTSA and Rice played was in a three-game series earlier this season from March 24-26, 2023, when the Roadrunners took two of three games over the Owls.
UTSA has a 6-8 record against Rice at home. The two teams last played each other at Roadrunner Field on April 23-25, 2021, when the Owls took the first game but the Roadrunners took the final two games to win the series.
IN MIDSEASON FORM
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.
Simon Miller was also named to the D1Baseball Midseason All-American Second Team.
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 will not play a midweek in the next week for finals week, but will host a three-game conference series against No. 16 Dallas Baptist on May 12-14 to conclude the home schedule.
-UTSA-
