In a commanding Friday night performance, UTSA baseball dominated Alvin Community College in an exhibition matchup, securing a 25-1 victory over the Dolphins at Roadrunner Field.
Coach Pat Hallmark remarked on the benefits of having an extended 14-inning game compared to the regular nine innings, “It’s good because a lot of people get to play the extra innings. [It] allows more players to get in the game which is important this time of year, it’s very important to do that.”
The game’s defining moment came in the third inning when UTSA’s offense caught fire. After senior utility James Taussig’s at-bat with bases loaded, the team scored three consecutive runs. Junior utility Broc Parmer added to the onslaught with a two-run homer, helping UTSA post seven runs on four hits during the inning.
UTSA’s pitching and defense proved equally impressive. Junior pitcher Zach Royse set the tone early, while the bullpen maintained control with both senior pitcher Braylon Owens and sophomore pitcher Robert Orloski tossing three hitless innings and three strikeouts by each arm.
“Two errors in 14 innings isn’t bad,” Hallmark said of the team’s defense. “Our goal is one error every nine innings or less, zero would be great. So, not bad, but still room for improvement though.”
The fall contest gave opportunities for several promising new players to highlight themselves to the coaching staff. “Well, Caden Miller is a good player,” Hallmark said of the true freshman newcomer. “I think he had three hits; he walked a couple things. [He] just gets on base. That’s the name of the game. He’s just one of many, you know. Sam Simmons pitched today, so we have good new players. We’re excited.”
The Roadrunners continued to build onto their lead throughout the middle innings, with senior outfielder Mason Lytle and sophomore utility Diego Diaz contributing key plays. The team’s aggressive baserunning and strategic hitting led to a steady accumulation of runs, reaching 11 runs on nine hits by the game’s midpoint.
UTSA’s offense reached new heights in the late innings with a home run by senior catcher Andrew Stucky and multiple scoring plays that pushed the lead to 20-0 by the end of the 13th inning. Alvin Community College managed to avoid the shutout, scoring its lone run in the 14th inning.
In the final frame, senior utility Ty Tilson delivered a wild hit to right field that brought home three runners.
After entering the fall with 23 new players, Hallmark said there wasn’t a clear picture of who the team was, but after making a couple of cuts last week, the image is becoming more focused.
“I didn’t know exactly what we had, but the fall’s been good. I feel like we know who we are; we got a good team.”
The Roadrunners have yet to announce their spring schedule. To stay updated with the latest UTSA sports news, visit paisano-online.com.
