SAN ANTONIO — Sophomore infielder Jordan Ballin and sophomore utility Caden Miller combined for four RBIs as UTSA baseball locked up its series against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with an 8-3 win on Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (27-12, 10-4 American) led by four through five innings. Graduate pitcher Conor Myles started for the Roadrunners and held the 49ers (18-20, 3-11 American) scoreless throughout the duration of his appearance. Charlotte made the game interesting after cutting its deficit down to one run in the seventh, but Ballin, Miller and senior outfielder Drew Detlefsen put the 49ers’ hopes of a comeback to rest with some late-inning insurance runs.
“I was impressed with the hitting,” coach Pat Hallmark said after the game. “It’s not a good day to hit, and we hit the ball really well. [Charlotte outfielder Spencer Nolan] made a really great play on Miller and we still ended up with 13 hits.
“We pitched okay. Too many walks. We walked six, but [senior stopper] Sam [Simmons] and Myles are competitive people.”
Junior infielder Diego Diaz drove in the Roadrunners’ first run of the day with a bunt RBI single to the pitcher’s mound. Ballin’s first RBI of the day came off of a bunt as well, bringing home sophomore utility Jacob Silva. Freshman infielder Aidan Eschelman’s RBI single capped off UTSA’s second-inning three-spot.
Christian Hallmark put the Roadrunners up four with an RBI single through the left side of the infield in the third.
Charlotte combined for three runs in the sixth and seventh, to which Detlefsen responded by smashing a home run over the left-field wall.
“It was crazy. I was shocked,” Pat Hallmark said of the homer. “When he hit it, even with the wind, you’re like, ‘Wow. I think that’s getting out of here.’ It just shot right out. It’s impressive. He’s strong.”
Ballin and Miller put three runs across the plate in the eighth. Miller’s two-run double was a nice bit of redemption after Nolan robbed him of a hit in the fourth.
Myles and Simmons combined to allow nine hits, zero earned runs and six walks, while tossing eight strikeouts.
The Roadrunners’ series finale against Charlotte is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
