LUBBOCK, Texas – UTSA Baseball opened up a midweek pair at Texas Tech on Tuesday, rounding out its final visit on a 10-game stay away from home. The Roadrunners toppled the Red Raiders, taking a 9-2 lead before holding on for a one-run victory. The 9-8 win got the Navy & Orange back in the win column, bumping them to 14-2 overall with one more chance in Lubbock tomorrow.
FIRST INNING
Caden Miller got his side going with a walk before Lane Haworth’s double put two runners in scoring position. An Andrew Stucky sacrifice fly then scored the game’s first run, making way for Gunnar Brown’s second start on the mound this season. A strikeout highlighted an uneventful first frame for the hosts before the ‘Runners got back to work.
SECOND INNING
Josh Arquette singled on the first pitch, doing so just before Christian Hallmark’s double put yet another pair in scoring position. Jordan Ballin then ripped a single through the right side, plating Arquette to double the lead. Miller then stepped back up, earning his own sacrifice fly to pull ahead 3-0. In the home half, three singles cut into the deficit at 3-1.
THIRD INNING
Haworth remained red-hot with his second double of the day, later advancing on a fly ball. Arquette brought his right fielder home with a single, growing the visitors’ edge back to three at 4-1. A 12-pitch frame from Gunnar Brown effectively concluded his night on the mound as the Red Raiders struggled at the plate.
FOURTH INNING
Jordan Ballin reached on a walk before singles from Miller and Haworth brought the shortstop all the way around the bases. With Brown removed following a leadoff single, Mike DeBattista began his 1.2 innings of work. Two singles and a walk for TTU produced a run, drawing closer at 5-2.
SIXTH INNING
Following the game’s first scoreless inning, both sides exploded in the sixth. Caden Miller launched a high fly ball to left, sneaking it over the left fielder for a solo home run, sparking two singles behind him from Detlefsen and Haworth. Andrew Stucky then uncorked on a 2-2 offering, belting it 416 feet and off the left-field light pole, ripping the game open for a 9-2 lead.
When the Red Raiders grabbed their bats, two straight walks came before a trio of singles, all preluding the first out of the frame. Then, a single and an RBI groundout pulled the home side back within two after a five-run sixth.
EIGHTH INNING
Sam Simmons, who entered back in the sixth, closed out the penultimate inning with his offense cooled off. The sidearm reliever retired eight of nine batters, allowing just one walk spanning a three-inning stretch. The two sides held at 9-7 with three outs to play with.
NINTH INNING
After the ‘Runners went down in order, TTU returned with one last chance to tie or win the game. Sam Simmons walked the leadoff man before punching one out swinging. A single up the middle then placed runners at the corners, setting up a sacrifice fly. Down 9-8, the fans rose to their feet on a 2-2 count, but Simmons shut the door on a comeback bid, sitting down the final Red Raider on a swinging miss.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- UTSA is still tied for its best start through 16 games in program history, matching the 1994 squad’s 14-2 mark.
- The ‘Runners failed to score 10 or more runs for just the sixth time this season.
- For the first time this year, UTSA won a game despite drawing fewer than four walks.
- UTSA jumped to 3-12 against Texas Tech, improving to 2-4 in Lubbock.
- Lane Haworth led the way with the third four-hit day of his young Roadrunner career.
- Josh Arquette and Caden Miller were the other two ‘Runners to tally multiple hits, notching two apiece.
- Head Coach Pat Hallmark has now defeated every Power Four institution in Texas (Houston, TCU, Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas and Texas Tech) at least once since arriving at UTSA.
- The Roadrunners have won eight games over Power Four opponents dating back to last season, including six over Texas foes.
- Andrew Stucky became the second Roadrunner to eclipse five home runs this season, joining Drew Detlefsen, who has six.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners and Red Raiders will meet once more for the midweek finale on Wednesday. UTSA looks for its fourth straight Power Four win and 15th victory of the campaign. First pitch for game two is set for 6:30 p.m. from Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. All the action will be streamed live on EPSN+ and available to follow via utsa.statbroadcast.com.
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