SAN ANTONIO – UTSA Baseball returned home on Friday, hosting South Florida for a matchup featuring two of the American Conference’s top programs. The Roadrunners jumped ahead early and never looked back, pulling out an 11-3 victory on the backs of Andrew Stucky (three-RBI home run) and Connor Kelley (5.0 scoreless innings). The Navy & Orange improved to 24-10 overall with a 7-3 league record, dropping USF to 24-9 and 5-5 in conference play.
FIRST INNING
Making his second start in 11 days, Gunnar Brown earned the nod on the mound from Head Coach Pat Hallmark. After allowing a leadoff single, the senior retired the next three batters, doing so on two straight punchouts to end the frame. With UTSA up to bat, an error and a hit batter put a runner in scoring position, but nothing came of the opportunity.
SECOND INNING
Three hit batters and a walk scored the game’s first run with two away, bringing a substituting Diego Diaz 90 feet home. With the bases still loaded, Drew Detlefsen ripped a double off the top of the wall in right-center. The drive sent everyone around, plating Aidan Eshelman, Jordan Ballin and Caden Miller to open up an early four-run lead.
THIRD INNING
Three free bases preluded an RBI groundout and a single as USF cut the deficit in half. Following a Diego Diaz single up the middle, the hosts went down quietly, holding on to a 4-2 margin on the board.
FOURTH INNING
Detlefsen was hit by a two-strike pitch before Garrett Gruell drew a walk, bringing Andrew Stucky to the plate. The graduate belted a 2-1 offering well over the center-field wall for a towering 431-foot drive. Three runs were added to the new videoboard as UTSA pulled ahead 7-2.
FIFTH INNING
After walking the leadoff batter, Gunnar Brown’s day on the mound was over, making way for Connor Kelley at the conclusion of 4.0 innings of three-hit baseball. The junior took to the mound following the hosts’ only pitching change of the day and began what would be a near-perfect 5.0 frames. A single and an eventual sacrifice fly were enough to pull within four at 7-3.
In the home half, Christian Hallmark’s leadoff hit preluded a costly Bull error that brought the center fielder all the way around to score. Following Jordan Ballin’s base knock, Caden Miller drove one deep to right field for a sacrifice fly. The game’s only inning featuring two crooked numbers ended with Pat Hallmark’s squad ahead by six.
SIXTH INNING
After an eight-pitch top half of the inning, the hosts got back to work. Andrew Stucky made his way to first after being struck ahead of a Lane Haworth single that placed runners at the corners. An ensuing Diego Diaz strikeout sent Lane Haworth running for second, freeing up Stucky to trot home for a 10-3 advantage.
SEVENTH INNING
Kelley needed just seven offerings to finish yet another efficient frame, quickly bringing his teammates back out to bat. A pair of walks bookended an Aidan Eshelman single to load the bases for Caden Miller. The first baseman sent Christian Hallmark home for the game’s final run on a groundout, pulling ahead 11-3.
NINTH INNING
With a quiet side from both squads in the eighth, the visitors had just three outs to play with. Kelley forced a popup before striking out the second batter of the inning looking. The final Bull of the afternoon went down swinging, capping off 5.0 exceptional innings from the relieving Roadrunner.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- UTSA improved to 6-1 all-time against USF, climbing to 3-1 at home.
- Over the last 34 innings, UTSA has allowed five runs from its opponents.
- Andrew Stucky drew closer to the team lead with his 10th home run of the campaign on Friday.
- The graduate’s fourth-inning blast was the fourth in his last six outings, securing his ninth multi-RBI day of 2026.
- UTSA improved to 21-6 when drawing at least four bases on balls this spring.
- For the first time since March 7, UTSA is riding a four-game winning streak.
- Friday’s game was the Roadrunners’ third this year in which they were hit by at least six pitches.
- UTSA snapped a streak of five games without an error after last tallying one in its most recent home game back on March 29 against East Carolina.
- Aidan Eshelman matched his career high with four putouts, equaling a total he first set a week prior.
- The hosts’ eight hits all came from eight different Roadrunners, highlighted by two three-RBI drives from Andrew Stucky and Drew Detlefsen.
- Caden Miller’s streak of four straight games with multiple hits came to an end, but the sophomore extended his hitting streak to five outings.
- Jordan Ballin and Andrew Stucky both topped the team leaderboard with two walks in the win.
- Drew Detlefsen’s three-run double solidified his team-best 13th multi-RBI day at the plate this spring.
UP NEXT
The two sides will meet again on Saturday in an attempt to wrap up the series. A scheduled doubleheader is slated for Noon CT, with a 45-minute break separating the two nine-inning contests. Sunday’s game was moved up to Saturday in response to expected inclement weather in the area. The ‘Runners eye their 15th straight American Conference series win and their first sweep in 2026 league play. All the action from Roadrunner Field will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via utsa.statbroadcast.com.
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