UTSA baseball upset No.8 The University of Texas at Austin 8-7 on Tuesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
As the game entered extra innings, UTSA (17-6) called upon its three best pitchers to try and seal the deal, while the Longhorns (17-2) opted to showcase a familiar face: former Roadrunner ace Ruger Riojas. The once All-Conference pitcher fell victim to the bat of senior catcher Andrew Stucky in the bottom of the twelfth, and ‘Runners handed the Longhorns their second loss of the season.
“I don’t have anything against Ruger. He got paid a lot of money to leave us and come [to Texas], but I’m glad he got the loss — you can print that too,” coach Pat Hallmark said after the game.
After Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle brought in Riojas in the top of the ninth, Hallmark decided to play his best hand as well. Senior pitcher Braylon Owens, junior ace Zach Royse and sophomore “stopper” Robert Orloski all saw action in the final innings. Two fly-outs from junior infielder Ty Hodge and freshman utility Nathan Hodge set the stage for Stucky — and he delivered.
“It felt amazing,” Stucky said of his go-ahead home run. “I was kind of struggling tonight so I was just looking to get a hit, thankfully it went over.”
Freshman utility Caden Miller silenced a crowd of over 7,000 people on just the second pitch of the night, launching his first home run over the left field wall. Senior infielder Norris McClure added a run shortly after with a sacrifice fly that allowed senior outfielder James Taussig to score.
UTSA regained the lead in the sixth and seventh innings with RBIs from senior outfielder Garrett Gruell, T. Hodge and N. Hodge, as well as an unearned run from senior outfielder Mason Lytle.
Hallmark emptied the artillery with conference play beginning in just three days, a gamble that paid off and earned his team their third ranked win of the season.
“Persistence, I thought we were persistent,” Hallmark said. “There were a lot of storylines; there’s a lot of people that deserve a whole bunch of credit. I’ll probably not name them all if I tried to. Obviously Stucky and then the pitching at the end — the weekend guys — Rob, Royse and Owens all pitching on short rest. I’m sure their arms are sore but that’s what we needed to win, that’s how you beat these people.”
Miller registered his first multi-home run day in his collegiate career and the Roadrunners notched 10 hits in 45 at-bats.
UTSA will next face the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Game one of the weekend series is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday at Hayes Stadium.
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Tina Akins • Mar 24, 2025 at 5:31 pm
However, coach Hallmark’s comments were printed in reference to NIL $, glad Ruger took the loss against UTSA, and you can print that. His comments meet your standard but I guess mine don’t? My were not attacks just facts.
Tina Akins • Mar 22, 2025 at 3:08 pm
I never heard a coach make a statement like that about a player that decided to better himself. Coaches make decisions all the time to better themselves for various reasons. Maybe you should take that up with the NIL and not put out nasty remarks about a player that I’m sure had a very difficult decision to make. I also wonder how your players feel about that comment, maybe they would like to better themselves too. I think an apology to Ruger and his family would go a long way.
R • Mar 19, 2025 at 12:29 pm
Tough game all around, but the sheer will to be greater and pursue greatness
Overcame the roadrunners on this beautiful day on the diamond.