UTSA baseball fell to Tulane University 5-3 on Friday at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (29-10, 11-3 AAC) rolled out both sophomore pitcher Robert Orloski senior pitcher Braylon Owens, and the Green Wave (24-16, 8-6 AAC) saw success against both in the middle innings. The ‘Runners battled back in bottom of the fifth frame and cut their deficit to just one run. That was all the offense UTSA could muster as the team went scoreless in the final three innings.
“We were okay,” coach Pat Hallmark said after the game. “Tulane was really good. They threw their two guys out of the bullpen that are good. They threw the breaking-ball for strikes too, we just couldn’t do anything with it. We just couldn’t get the base hits on them. Tip your hat to Tulane.”
Junior catcher Broc Parmer brought the Roadrunners back into the game in the bottom of the fifth frame with a solo-home run 438-feet over the center field wall. Senior outfielder Mason Lytle brought in the team’s final run with an RBI single through the right gap of the infield, scoring sophomore utility Diego Diaz.
The Roadrunners scored in the opening inning off an RBI double from senior outfielder James Taussig that hit a gap in left-center field.
Orloski and Owens have amassed 12 total wins on the mound, and fell just short of securing another one against Tulane. Owens surrendered three runs in the fifth before Hallmark called upon Orloski to try and stop the bleeding. Orloski gave up one run before ending the top of the fifth by forcing a groundout.
“Rob was awesome,” Hallmark said of his closing pitcher. “He came in in the fifth and pitched great.”
UTSA registered nine hits as a team, just four hits shy of Tulane’s total of 13. The deciding factor in the game was found in the marginal difference in performance at the plate with runners in scoring position. The Green Wave was four of 14 with runners in scoring position compared to the ‘Runners two of nine. When it mattered, Tulane got the hits it needed more frequently than UTSA.
For the second night in a row, McClure led the team in hits with three. Lytle, Taussig and Parmer all tied for the lead in RBIs with one a piece. The duo of Orloski and Owens allowed five runs on 13 hits and tossed eight strikeouts.
The Roadrunners’ series finale against the Green Wave is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at Roadrunner Field.
