The UTSA baseball team (13-17, 4-11) returned to action at Roadrunner Field this past weekend. Stephen F. Austin (SFA) (21-10, 9-5) came to San Antonio riding a three game winning streak, winners of six of their last nine games.
SFA 4, UTSA 2
Sophomore lefthander Casey Selsor took the mound for UTSA in Friday night’s series opener against the Lumberjacks. Selsor pitched 6.1, innings allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out seven.
After giving up two runs over the top of the second and third innings, the ‘Runners responded with back-to-back solo home runs from junior outfielder Tyler Carpenter and freshman outfielder Daniel Rockett in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game.
Selsor pitched the next three innings allowing only three hits and no runs before giving up two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh.
Selsor was one out away from finishing a seventh inning threat, but SFA catcher Jarid Scarafiotti delivered a two-run single to left that proved to be the difference. Tyler Harriage got the win for SFA pitching six innings allowing five hits and two runs while striking out eight.
SFA 13, UTSA 9
In a game where both teams sent five pitchers to the mound to surrender a total of 28 hits, the Lumberjacks were able to slug their way to their second win in as many days against the Roadrunners.
A late scratch-start for pitcher D.D. Towler found the junior pitching his way through 5.1 innings while allowing seven hits and six runs. UTSA senior Ryan Rummel singled to score Carpenter from second, and following a walk to senior Lance Brown, Selsor deposited a three-run home run over the left center field wall to give the Roadrunners a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
A two-run homer by UTSA senior catcher Jeff Taliaferro in the bottom of the fourth, and two three-run innings for SFA in the third and sixth meant the game would be decided in the final three frames.
The Lumberjacks would plate seven runs on seven hits in the seventh and eighth innings. Roadrunner pitcher Mike Pierce would get the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits and allowing four walks.
UTSA 9, SFA 8
In the series finale, the Roadrunners were behind 7-4 headed into the bottom of the seventh before taking the lead on four runs in the inning. In the first inning, UTSA yielded two runs on one hit and two errors; in the fourth, four runs on four hits; and the in the fifth, one run on one hit.
UTSA was able to score a run in each of the first four innings.
After singles by Taliaferro and Carpenter to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Taliaferro would score on a Rockett single.
Following two outs on two fly-balls, Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Selsor. After a pitching change, Selsor delivered a double to plate all three runners. The Lumberjacks tied the game after scoring a run on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth, but after a walk to lead off the bottom of the eighth, junior outfielder Tommy Vukovich would score on a sacrifice-fly by Rockett.
The run was all that junior pitcher Kevin Clarke needed to get his third win of the season. Clarke, who came in relief in the seventh, pitched three innings while allowing three hits and one run while striking out three.
