SAN ANTONIO — Sammy Diaz’s solo home run in the fourth propelled UTSA to a 3-2 victory over Western Kentucky on Friday night at Roadrunner Field. Pitcher Simon Miller had a .59 ERA and allowed just two hits on 39 pitches in two innings. 

“Luke is just so steady; he checks every box as a pitcher,” said coach Pat Hallmark. “And to have Simon [Miller] behind him, the way he pitches it makes it so hard for the other team to get extra bases. It’s a big confidence booster having those two guys.” 

UTSA struck first with a sacrifice fly from Antonio Valdez that would bring one baserunner home to give the Roadrunners a one point lead. 

A Matt King RBI double would extend the Roadrunners’ lead by one the very next inning. 

After a scoreless third inning, WKU would score two points of their own to tie the ballgame at 2-2. 

In the fourth inning facing an 0-2 count, Sammy Diaz would retake the lead for UTSA with a solo home run right over the center field wall. 

After a strong first seven innings, starting pitcher Luke Malone would exit the game. Simon Miller, who leads the nation in ERA and wins, would come in to replace Malone and proceed to pitch a shutout. 

WKU would threaten to tie late in the ninth, but UTSA would come away victorious 3-2. 

This win gives UTSA a 6-1 record against C-USA opponents and puts them back in the win column after a five game road stretch where the team lost three out of five matches. 

“We gotta win; we don’t talk about home or road. We just talk about winning,” Hallmark said. 

The Roadrunners will play game two of their three-game home series against the Hilltoppers at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, at Roadrunner Field.