CLEARWATER, Fla. — Graduate pitcher Conor Myles and junior pitcher Connor Kelley pitched a combined shutout in UTSA baseball’s 4-0 win over the University of Memphis on Friday at Baycare Ballpark.
Both teams were held scoreless through the first two innings, but the Roadrunners (37-19) broke through for their first score of the day in the third. With Myles, the American Conference Pitcher of the Year, on the mound, the Tigers (24-33) managed just two hits through five innings. Memphis’ best chance for a run came in the third with runners on the corner and one out. Graduate catcher Andrew Stucky threw out Tigers infielder Javon Hernandez trying for second, and Myles earned the swinging strikeout for out No. 3 shortly after. UTSA tacked on some insurance runs throughout the remainder of the contest and punched its ticket to the semifinals.
“We pitched really well,” coach Pat Hallmark said after the game. “We did everything else pretty good. [Memphis pitcher Seth] Garner was tough. We kept throwing strikes. They didn’t give us anything after the first. But anyway, I thought we played a really good baseball game.”
Senior outfielder Drew Detlefsen, the American Conference Player of the Year, proved why he was named the conference’s top talent by initiating the Roadrunners’ scoring in the third with an RBI double into left-center field.
In the next inning, sophomore outfielder Christian Hallmark roped an RBI double into right-center, putting UTSA up two.
Myles’ day concluded in the sixth after a leadoff walk; he finished with two hits allowed, zero earned runs and eight strikeouts. Both senior stopper Sam Simmons and Kelley warmed up in the pen during Myles’ appearance, but Pat Hallmark opted for Kelley to close out the team’s quarterfinals matchup.
In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore utility Jacob Silva sliced a triple into right field, setting up sophomore infielder Jordan Ballin for a sacrifice fly out to left.
Stucky picked up the Roadrunners’ final score of the night in the seventh with an RBI single that scored sophomore utility Caden Miller.
Kelley’s appearance was comparable to Myles’, with two hits allowed, zero walks, zero earned runs and four strikeouts.
“Kelley is awesome,” Myles said. “I’ve been with Kelley for three years now. We’ve been roommates for two of them. Me personally, I think a 1.0 ERA deserves a little bit better than Second-Team All-Conference, but that’s not my decision to make.
“I know every time Kelley goes out there with the ball, it puts us in a pretty good chance to win, especially with the stuff he has behind it, getting that fastball up into the high 90s when he wants to.
UTSA will face East Carolina University at 9 a.m. CST Saturday at Baycare Ballpark.
