HOUSTON – On Thursday, UTSA Baseball visited Rice for the first of three games at Reckling Park. The Owls took the series opener by a final score of 3-2 in 10 innings, winning on a walk-off walk. Suffering their second consecutive walk-off defeat, the ‘Runners dropped to 20-10 with a 4-3 league record. The hosts improved to 19-12, matching UTSA’s mark in American action at 4-3.
FIRST INNING
True freshman Ryan Self got the nod from Pat Hallmark, making his fifth start of the season. Following a quiet top half, UTSA took to the field, allowing a leadoff single. Back-to-back groundouts advanced the runner to second before a pair of wild pitches brought in the series’ first score for a 1-0 margin.
SECOND INNING
On the fourth pitch of the top half, Andrew Stucky ripped a leadoff home run to tie the affair with his eighth four-bagger of 2026. Gunnar Brown relieved Self to start the inning, but Rice responded once again. A walk and a single preluded an RBI groundout that pushed the hosts back in front 2-1 in the game’s early stages.
FOURTH INNING
An uneventful third frame set the stage for Lane Haworth who led off with a first-pitch single to right. Stucky followed up with a hit of his own before Josh Arquette later loaded the bases with two away. Christian Hallmark’s hard-hit ball was misplayed by the Owl shortstop, tying the affair on a run-scoring error. Meanwhile, Brown continued a stretch of 11 straight retired batters, keeping the hosts at bay offensively.
SEVENTH INNING
After Caden Miller ripped a base knock up the middle, he made his way to second on a stolen base, but nothing came of the opportunity. In the home half, Brown wrapped up his exceptional outing with an eight-pitch frame, concluding a six-inning, one-run outing in which he allowed just four hits.
EIGHTH INNING
Andrew Stucky’s fourth hit of the day went unsupported in the away half, cueing Sam Simmons in the bottom of the eighth. On nine offerings, the senior sat down the Owls, sending the game to its final inning of regulation still knotted at two runs apiece.
NINTH INNING
Caden Miller’s bunt single was the only hit for either side in the ninth, with Rice only plating one runner on via a hit batter. Still deadlocked at 2-2, UTSA headed to extra innings for the second time in three games.
TENTH INNING
Jacob Silva walked with two away before stealing second to reach scoring position. On a bobble from the Rice infielder, the first-year Roadrunner headed for third, but was thrown out to end the stanza. When Rice came up to bat, two one-out hits were followed up by an intentional walk to load the bases. A replay review confirmed the second out of the inning on a force at home, but the next batter was walked on six pitches. The game ended via the base on balls with a 3-2 score in favor of the Owls.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- UTSA dropped to 25-31 all-time against Rice, falling to 12-22 on the road.
- The ‘Runners are now 6-7 in true road games this spring.
- Andrew Stucky led the way with four hits, notching his second such outing of the season.
- Caden Miller was the only other ‘Runner with multiple hits, notching three alongside a stolen base on Thursday.
- Josh Arquette set a season high with five assists on Thursday.
- Jacob Silva’s walk in the 10th inning was UTSA’s only base on balls all night, tying a team season low with one.
- Gunnar Brown tossed 6.0 innings, tying Connor Kelley (March 6) for the longest individual outing this season.
- The senior allowed just four hits and one run on Thursday, dipping his season ERA to 5.46.
- Three straight UTSA games have been decided in walk-off fashion, all coming in the past five days. The ‘Runners are 1-2 during the stretch.
UP NEXT
The midway point of the three-game set will take place from Reckling Park on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Rice looks to secure its fifth straight victory while the visitors aim to force a rubber match on Saturday. All the action from Bayou City will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via utsa.statbroadcast.com.
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