UTSA baseball took down Oakland University 13-3 on Wednesday at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (7-3) jumped out to an early lead, scoring seven of their 13 runs in the first four innings. The visiting Grizzlies (1-8) struggled offensively and defensively, allowing eight hits and striking out five times in the first four innings. The UTSA offense piled on throughout the course of the game and sent Oakland packing after seven innings.
“Again, it started with the pitching,” coach Pat Hallmark said of why the team won. “Gunnar was good. We keep getting good starting pitching, which is very, very important always. That is where it started, and we swung the bats really well.”
The ‘Runners drew first blood in the opening inning after junior infielder Ty Hodge lined an RBI double into right-center field. Senior catcher Andrew Stucky capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly out to right field,allowing Hodge to make his way home.
In the following inning, senior outfielder Mason Lytle sliced an RBI double into right field that scored junior infielder Cade Sadler and senior infielder Ty Tilson — both of which made their first starts of the season.
“I was just nervous, excited and everything in between. I was just ready to get out here,” Sadler said of his reaction when he was told he’d be making his season debut.
Sadler picked up his first RBI of the season with a single into right field in the bottom of the fourth. Junior outfielder Drew Detlefsen added to the Roadrunners’ lead with an RBI single down the left line that brought in Lytle. Stucky tacked on an extra point with an RBI single into left field, and UTSA exited the fourth with a 7-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Gunnar Brown, who made his first appearance since the team faced Baylor University, aided in the team’s shutout of the Grizzlies. The senior transfer from Sam Houston University went five innings on the bump, allowing just two hits while tossing seven strikeouts.
“It feels really good,” Brown said of making his first start. “[The coaches] were just kind of calming me down. They did a good job keeping me in check.”
In the bottom of the fifth, Tilson picked up his first RBI of the season after grounding out to the pitcher, allowing sophomore catcher Whitt Joyce to score. An RBI single from Lytle brought in freshman utility Nathan Hodge and extended the ‘Runners lead to 9-0.
Sophomore pitcher Kendall Dove checked in at the top of the sixth for UTSA and allowed a solo home run on his second pitch of the night. Dove battled through the remainder of the inning and escaped the inning with one Grizzly left on base.
Joyce scored the 10th run of the night for UTSA with a sacrifice fly out to right field, allowing Stucky to score. The following inning, freshman infielder Jordan Ballin knocked an RBI single into left field, and Detlefsen brought him home shortly after with an RBI double.
Senior outfielder James Taussig — who had not played since the season opener against Texas-Arlington — scored the final run of the game with an RBI single into left field.
The Roadrunners earned 16 hits in 33 at-bats while striking out just three times. Brown and Dove had more strikeouts than hits allowed, and the ‘Runners are now 7-0 when they get on the scoreboard first.
UTSA will remain home as the team takes on Youngstown State University from Feb. 28 to March 2 at Roadrunner Field.
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