UTSA baseball beat Youngstown State University 4-3 on Friday at Roadrunner Field.
After falling into an early 2-0 deficit, the Roadrunners (8-3) battled their way back against the visiting Penguins (1-7). The ‘Runners tied the match in the bottom of the sixth inning and took the late lead in the bottom of the seventh. Youngstown State tied the game in the top of the ninth with a 424-foot home run over the left field wall. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, UTSA senior outfielder James Taussig silenced the visiting crowd.
“It was great, I was really happy for our team,” Taussig said of his walk-off single. “Rob and Zach gave us a great chance to win; they held them to three runs. I was just happy for the guys.”
Penguins’ pitcher Braeden Gebhardt walked freshman utility Caden Miller to open the ninth and proceeded to allow singles to senior outfielder Mason Lytle and senior infielder Norris McClure — setting up Taussig for his dramatic finish. Taussig battled to a 1-2 count, and on the fourth pitch, bounced one over the opposing first baseman to secure the win.
Senior catcher Lorenzo Moressi got the Roadrunners on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI triple down the right field line. In the following at-bat, freshman utility Nathan Hodge reached first base off a throwing error from the opposing shortstop, allowing Moressi to score unearned.
After stealing third base, Lytle scored when Penguins’ catcher Jack Johnson was called in for interference, giving the Roadrunners the late lead.
Following junior pitcher Zach Royse’s exit in the top of the sixth, sophomore pitcher Robert Orloski checked in for UTSA. The Friday-night closer, or as Hallmark calls it “stopper,” did exactly what Hallmark asked of him — for three of the final four innings.
Orloski surrendered the game-tying home run to Penguins’ outfielder Brayden Kuriger in the top of the ninth, swinging the momentum in Youngstown State’s favor. Facing loaded bases with one out, Orloski needed the ball to roll his way, and that’s exactly what it did. Johnson bounced one to the mound, allowing Orloski to get the force out at home plate. Moressi then fired the ball to first base, securing the double play and stranding two runners on base.
“It happens to every single pitcher,” Orloski said of the game-tying home run. “The hitter put a good swing on it, I laid up a fastball and he hit it far. It is what it is. When the bases got loaded, I just tried to keep a calm heart and keep attacking the hitter.”
“I could talk forever about all the good things we did tonight,” coach Pat Hallmark said after the game. “Even though we barely won the game, this was our most encouraging game because we beat a good pitcher. There’s all these little things that are happening that go a little bit unnoticed. They’re important because they’re signs of a team that is growing up.”
UTSA earned 11 hits in 36 at-bats while striking out eight times as a team. Royse pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits while dishing out seven strikeouts. The junior from Katy, Texas posted an earned run average of 3.78, a slight improvement on his 3.86 average for the season. The pitching duo of Orloski and Royse tossed a combined 15 strikeouts — the most by the team so far this season.
Game two and three of the Roadrunners’ series against the Penguins will take place at noon and 4 p.m. Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
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