AUSTIN, Texas — UTSA took down Kansas State, 10-2, in the opening round of the Austin Regional on Friday at UFCU Disch Falk-Field to register the program's first-ever NCAA postseason victory.
The Roadrunners move on in the winner's bracket and will now take on host and overall No. 2 seed Texas, at 8 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+. The Longhorns bested Houston Christian earlier in the day, improving to 43-12 on the season.
BASICS:
Score: UTSA 10, Kansas State 2
Records: UTSA 45-13, Kansas State 31-25
Location: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
Win: Zach Royse (9-4) | Loss: Jacob Frost (1-5)
Starting pitcher Zach Royse got the nod on the mound to open the Austin Regional. Royse managed to sit down the first three batters of the ballgame, striking out the first two. The Roadrunners jumped out to an early lead as James Taussig picked up the first hit of the game on a single to right field, beating the shift. Taussig took second on a wild pitch before being brought home by Andrew Stucky, who singled up the middle.
In the third inning, Norris McClure drove the ball the opposite way over the left field wall to put UTSA up 2-0 and extend his hit streak to 24 games. Kansas State notched its first run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Garrett Gruell led off the home half with a walk and then advanced to second on a Ty Hodge single to left field. Lorenzo Moressi reached on a fielder's choice, putting Diego Diaz, who pinch ran for Gruell, on third. Ballin picked up his first RBI of the game and reached first thanks to an error by Kansas State's first baseman, pushing Diaz across and giving UTSA a 3-1 lead.
Both Morresi and Jordan Ballin each reached on walks in the bottom of the sixth. Taussig then picked up his 10th homer of the year with a rocket into center field, issuing a 6-1 Roadrunners lead.
In the top of the seventh, Kansas State hit a solo home run to make it 6-2.
McClure led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk. Caden Miller then came into the game to pinch hit and delivered a single. Ty Hodge singled to drive in McClure, and Morresi kept the inning going as he singled to center field, allowing Miller to score. Lytle was issued a free pass, and a wild pitch was followed by a throwing error, sending Morresi and Hodge home for a 10-2 advantage.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- McClure extended his hit streak to 24 with a home run in the third inning, and a later knock allowed him to record his 20th multi-hit game of the campaign.
- Stucky threw out a baserunner attempting to swipe second in the second inning, marking the first time a UTSA player has caught someone stealing in the NCAA postseason.
- Taussig was hit by the pitch in the bottom of the fourth, giving UTSA 114 HBP this season, which is now a program record.
- Royse racked up five strikeouts for a new UTSA NCAA postseason single-game high.
- Morresi stole second in the sixth for his second stolen base of the game, which marks the program's NCAA postseason record.
- With Taussig's three-run home run in the sixth, the Roadrunners set a new single-game home run record in the NCAA postseason with two, and his three RBIs represent the most by an individual.
- Robert Orloski tossed two frames, scattering three hits and fanning four, while Christian Okerholm punched out one over 1.2 innings to increase UTSA's team total to 10, a squad record in the NCAA postseason.
- The Roadrunners scored 10 runs, snapping the program's NCAA postseason record for the most in a single game.
- UTSA also broke the team's NCAA postseason record in RBIs (8), walks (6), hits (10), and at-bats (35).
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