UTSA baseball fell to Texas Christian University 5-4 on Tuesday at Lupton Stadium.
The score was tied at 4-4 when the Roadrunners (23-8, 5-1 AAC) called upon junior ace Zach Royse to try and bring the game into extra-innings. The Horned Frogs (22-8, 5-4 Big 12) started the bottom of the ninth with a runner in scoring position thanks to a rare fielding mistake from UTSA senior outfielder James Taussig. A few plays later, TCU got the fly-out it needed and walked-off the Roadrunners just two days after the ‘Runners walked-off Florida Atlantic University.
The strength of this UTSA ballclub all season has been the stellar play of its outfield. Senior outfielders Mason Lytle and Taussig, as well as junior outfielder Drew Detlefsen have combined for 108 of the team’s 230 RBIs. The group went 1-for-11 at the plate and the ‘Runners were unable to secure another thrilling Tuesday win.
On Royse’s first pitch, Horned Frogs catcher Karson Bowen hit what should’ve been a routine fly-out into right field. However, Taussig misjudged the angle of the ball and it struck the grass behind him. After Royse retired the following batter, senior catcher Andrew Stucky had a pitch clip off his glove, allowing the pinch-runner on second to advance to third. Now with one out and a runner on third, all TCU infielder Cole Kramer had to do was pop one into the outfield — and that’s exactly what he did. Kramer launched one right into Taussig’s glove, and despite a valiant effort on the throw to home, the winning run made it safely and ended the game.
The Roadrunners’ strategy of bringing in their weekend starters to secure Tuesday wins against Power Five teams has worked all season, until now. Senior pitcher Braylon Owens secured the win against No. 14 Texas A&M University, while he, Royse and sophomore pitcher Robert Orloski aided in the team’s victory over No. 8 The University of Texas at Austin. Coach Pat Hallmark was looking to add another quality win to his team’s resume, but fell short this time around.
UTSA scored its first run of the night in the third off a bases-loaded walk from Taussig that brought in senior infielder Norris McClure.
In the fifth, the Roadrunners tied the game after scoring on three consecutive at-bats. Taussig picked up his second RBI of the night after he grounded out to second base, allowing freshman utility Nathan Hodge to score. Freshman utility Caden Miller scored shortly after off a wild pitch from the Horned Frogs, and the final run of the night came after Lytle scored unearned on a throwing error from TCU infielder Anthony Silva.
McClure led in hits with three and Taussig led in RBIs with two. The Roadrunner rotation allowed five runs on 10 hits and registered nine strikeouts.
UTSA will next face the University of Alabama-Birmingham for its third conference series of the season. Game one is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday at Young Memorial Field.
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