UTSA baseball completed its sweep of Long Island University after beating the Sharks twice on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
The opening game was a blowout. The Roadrunners (5-3) scored in every single inning while the Sharks (2-6) failed to score once. Long Island fared better in the second game but not by much. UTSA once again jumped on the Sharks early and never looked back — though, Long Island did manage to score this time around.
“It feels good. Four wins in two days is not easy to do,” coach Pat Hallmark said of the team’s first series win of the season. “We did a good job all the way around.”
Game Three
The theme of the double header on Saturday was fast starts for the UTSA offense. That carried over to Sunday with the Roadrunners picking up a 7-0 lead by the bottom of the second inning. Senior catcher Andrew Stucky got things started for the ‘Runners with an RBI double that scored senior infielder Norris McClure and freshman infielder Caden Miller. Junior outfielder Tye Odom brought in Stucky after he sliced an RBI single up the center of the diamond.
In the bottom of the second, junior infielder Ty Hodge launched his first home run of the season over the left field wall. During the next at-bat, Miller knocked one to third base but a throwing error from Sharks’ third baseman Ryan Rivera allowed freshman utility Nathan Hodge to score unearned. Odom capped off the second inning scoring barrage with an RBI single into center field, allowing Stucky and senior outfielder Mason Lytle to score.
The following inning UTSA added to its lead to win 15-0. Lytle picked up his first RBI of the day after lining one into center field, allowing the Hodge brothers to touch home plate.
Senior pitcher Conor Myles got the start on the bump for the Roadrunners. The Melbourne, Australia native tossed seven strikes across six innings while allowing zero runs on five hits.
“He was really good,” Hallmark said of Myles.
The UTSA offense piled on over the ensuing three innings and earned a new season-high in runs scored in the win.
Game Four
The ‘Runners opened up the fourth game of the series with four runs on their way to their 7-1 win in the first inning. McClure grounded out to the pitcher, allowing Miller to touch home. After Lytle reached on a throwing error by Sharks’ pitcher RJ Latkowski, senior catcher Lorenzo Moressi smacked an RBI single over the opposing second baseman, pushing Lytle home for the score. Junior outfielder Drew Detlefsen brought in Moressi in the next at-bat after he smoked one over the left-center field wall. Detlefsen’s home run had an exit velocity of 105 miles-per-hour.
It didn’t take long for UTSA to pick up its second home run of the day. In the bottom of the second, Miller sent one high over the right field wall with an exit velocity of 97 miles-per-hour. Typically, a hit like that wouldn’t make it past the fence, yet the wind gave the ball a little extra push on the play.
Freshman infielder Jordan Ballin picked up an RBI single in the third inning and tried to advance to second after a throwing error by Sharks’ infielder Benjamin Fierenzi. Ballin was thrown out at second but the error allowed Detlefsen to score unearned. UTSA scored its final run of the game after Lytle hit a sacrifice fly into right field.
The ‘Runners notched 23 hits across both games and had five players with multiple hits in the final game. Odom led the team in total hits on the day with five.
“They were just a little more relaxed,” Hallmark said of the reason his team hit better against Long Island as compared to against Baylor.
UTSA will next face Houston Christian University at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Roadrunner Field.
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