UTSA baseball pounds Middle Tennessee in series finale

UTSA second baseman Shea Gutierrez tags out a Middle Tennessee runner trying to steal second. Gutierrez had two hits, three RBIs, a walk and scored twice. UTSA beat Middle Tennessee 15-1 Sunday at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA second baseman Shea Gutierrez tags out a Middle Tennessee runner trying to steal second. Gutierrez had two hits, three RBIs, a walk and scored twice.
UTSA second baseman Shea Gutierrez tags out a Middle Tennessee runner trying to steal second. Gutierrez had two hits, three RBIs, a walk and scored twice.

UTSA won three times in a four-game Conference USA series against Middle Tennessee, taking the final game 15-1 in seven innings on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.

The Roadrunners had 12 hits Sunday including home runs from Ian Bailey, Dylan Rock and Nick Thornquist. UTSA broke the game open with four runs in the fourth inning and eight runs in the fifth.

UTSA pitchers Pepper Jones, Luke Malone and Arturo Guajardo combined to hold Middle Tennessee to hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Malone (2-1) entered the game in the fourth inning and pitched 2 2/3 innings for the win.

UTSA baseball comes through late to split pair with Middle Tennessee

UTSA's Leyton Barry (19) celebrates with teammates after he bunted in the winning run in extra innings of Saturday's second game against Middle Tennessee. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Leyton Barry (19) celebrates with teammates after he bunted in the winning run in extra innings of Saturday’s second game.
UTSA endured 13 innings worth of frustration before putting together clutch at-bats with relief pitching late Saturday.

UTSA scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to tie it and produced a walk-off bunt in the eighth of a scheduled seven-inning game to win 3-2 in the second game of a doubleheader with Middle Tennessee at Roadrunner field.

Middle Tennessee won the first game 5-3 after UTSA took a 2-0 lead in the second inning.

Roadrunners reliever Hunter Mason entered the second game with one out in the sixth inning. He held Middle Tennessee scoreless over the final 2 2/3 innings, on one hit with two strikeouts and no walks.

UTSA put the second game in the books in the bottom of the eighth when Leyton Barry bunted with one out and Joshua Lamb scored from third. Lamb led off the inning with a single and went to third on Kyle Bergeron’s single to right center.

UTSA was scoreless the first six innings and Middle Tennessee took a 2-0 lead into the seventh.

The Roadrunners got things going in the bottom of the seventh after their first two batters, Ryan Hunt and Griffin Paxton, both singled. Hunt advanced from first to third on Paxton’s hit, then scored on a ground-out by Dylan Rock, cutting the lead to 2-1.

Paxton went to second on Rock’s grounder and to third when Chase Keng grounded out to short. Paxton scored on a wild pitch, tying it 2-2 and sending it to extra innings.

Hunt, by the way, was making his first UTSA start. The junior outfielder is a transfer from Midland Community College.

UTSA starting pitcher Reece Easterling pitched 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs, only one earned, on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

The four-game series concludes Sunday with one game at 11 a.m. – an earlier start than on the original schedule.

Hunter Mason finished the second game on the mound for UTSA and earned the win. UTSA beat Middle Tennessee 3-2 in eight innings in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
Hunter Mason finished the second game on the mound for UTSA and earned the win.

UTSA baseball rallies past Middle Tennessee in series opener

UTSA’s Joshua Lamb smacks a hit that scores Nick Thornquist with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
UTSA’s Joshua Lamb smacks a hit that scores Nick Thornquist with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
UTSA’s Joshua Lamb smacks a hit that scores Nick Thornquist with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning.[/caption]UTSA’s bats came alive in the late innings to beat Middle Tennessee 7-6 on Friday at Roadrunner Field.

The game was the first of four in a weekend series. UTSA and Middle Tennessee meet again on Saturday for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

UTSA scored all its runs in its final three innings after Middle Tennessee took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth. The Roadrunners collected 10 hits on the day including home runs by Nick Thornquist and Chase Keng and a game-winning hit by Joshua Lamb.

UTSA’s first runs came on a two-out, two run single by Dylan Rock in the bottom of the sixth. UTSA took a 5-2 lead in the seventh when Thornquist and Keng hit back-to-back solo home runs and Ian Bailey’s sacrifice fly scored Lamb.

Middle Tennessee scored four times in the top of the eighth to take a 6-5 lead.

UTSA put together four hits to score two runs in the bottom of the eight and take the lead for good. Rock led off the inning with a hit and scored on a single by Thornquist. Keng doubled and then Lamb drove in Thornquist with the go-ahead run.

UTSA starting pitcher John Chomko dominated early, shutting out middle Tennessee through four innings. Chomko completed six innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits, five strikeouts and no walks.

UTSA reliever Luke Malone entered the game in the top of the seventh and pitched 1 1/3 innings.

Arturo Guajardo finished the game on the mound for the Roadrunners and got his first win of the season. He pitched the final two outs of the eighth inning and retired Western Kentucky in the ninth.

Dylan Rock heads for home with the tying run in the bottom of the eight. Rock also had two hits and drove in two runs. UTSA beat Middle Tennessee 7-6 on Friday at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
Dylan Rock heads for home with the tying run in the bottom of the eight. Rock also had two hits and drove in two runs.

UTSA baseball infielder Joshua Lamb: photo gallery

UTSA shortstop Josh Lamb batting against UT-Arlington on March 7 at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA shortstop Josh Lamb batting against UT-Arlington on March 7 at Roadrunner Field.
Joshua Lamb has played in all of UTSA’s first 22 games this season. He is batting .294 with three home runs and 22 RBIs.

The 6-foot junior shortstop from Nederland, Texas, earned Conference USA all-freshman honors in 2018, when he batted .289 and led the team in triples with five. His sophomore season in 2019 was cut short by an injury and UTSA’s 2020 season was shortened due to covid.

UTSA baseball catcher Nick Thornquist: photo gallery

UTSA's Nick Thornquist playing against UT-Arlington on March 7, 2021, at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Nick Thornquist playing against UT-Arlington on March 7, 2021, at Roadrunner Field. – photo by Joe Alexander
Nick Thornquist is a senior from Flower Mound.

The 5-foot-8 catcher has hit four home runs and has a team-high 24 RBIs in 21 games this season and is batting .305.

As a junior in 2019, Thornquist batted .315 with six homers in 50 games.

Photos from the UTSA vs. UT-Arlington series in March at Roadrunner Field.

UTSA baseball outfielder Dylan Rock: photo gallery

UTSA's Dylan Rock playing against UT-Arlington on March 7, 2021, at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Dylan Rock playing against UT-Arlington on March 7, 2021, at Roadrunner Field.
Dylan Rock has played in every game so far this season for UTSA.

The Roadrunners center fielder is second on the team in batting at .318. He has three home runs and 16 RBIs in 22 games.

The 6-foot-1 junior from Sugar Land earned Conference USA all-freshman honors in 2018 and batted .287 with six home runs. In 2019 he had a 24-game hitting streak and batted .327 with three home runs and was second in CUSA in doubles with 20.

In the covid-shortened 2020 season, Rock led UTSA in batting at .365 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 17 games.

Photos from the UTSA vs. UT-Arlington series in March at Roadrunner Field.

UTSA baseball outfielder Chase Keng: photo gallery

UTSA's Chase Keng playing against Southern Miss on April 2, 2021, at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Chase Keng hits a home run against Southern Miss on April 2, 2021, at Roadrunner Field.
If people in baseball circles didn’t already know who Chase Keng is, word got around on March 26.

The UTSA outfielder hit three home runs in one game as the Roadrunners overpowered Rice 16-4 in Houston. On the day, Keng had four hits and five RBIs. That game helped Keng earn national player of the week honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

Keng’s most recent homer came Friday night at Roadrunner Field in the second game of a Conference USA doubleheader against Southern Miss.

The junior from Deer Park is batting .333 on the season with 11 RBIs in 10 games.

Southern Miss powers past UTSA baseball in doubleheader

UTSA's Chase Keng (4) celebrates with teammates after homering in the first inning to give the Roadrunners a lead in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against Southern Miss. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Chase Keng (4) celebrates with teammates after homering in the first inning to give the Roadrunners a lead in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader against Southern Miss.
Southern Miss piled up 24 runs on 28 hits over the course of 17 innings to sweep a doubleheader with UTSA on Friday.

Southern Miss has won the first three of the four-game Conference USA series. The series concludes with a single game Saturday at 10 a.m. at UTSA.

Southern Miss won Friday’s early game 13-9 in 10 innings in a game scheduled for seven innings. UTSA rallied back after trailing 8-4 to send the game to extra innings. Southern Miss had 19 hits including a three-run homer by Will McGillis in the top of the 10th inning.

UTSA took a 2-0 lead in the second game after Chase Keng hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning. Southern Miss scored eight runs over the next two innings on the way to winning 11-5. The Golden Eagles had nine hits including two third-inning home runs.

UTSA's Dylan Rock snares a low line drive in center field in Friday's second game against Southern Miss. - photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA’s Dylan Rock snares a low line drive in center field in Friday’s second game against Southern Miss.

UTSA baseball falls to Southern Miss in opener of baseball series

Griffin Paxton slides into third for a triple in the sixth inning. He scored UTSA's only run of the game. - photo by Joe Alexander
Griffin Paxton slides into third for a triple in the sixth inning. He scored UTSA’s only run of the game.
Southern Miss scored eight runs in the first four innings to beat UTSA 9-1 Thursday in the opener of a four-game Conference USA series. Southern Miss rolled behind nine hits and 11 walks.

Southern Miss starting pitcher Hunter Stanley went seven innings and allowed one run on three hits with one strikeout and two walks.

UTSA scored its only run in the six inning. Griffin Paxton tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Rock.

Paxton had two of UTSA’s five hits. Kyle Bergeron had a hit to reach base for the 15th straight game.

On a night when UTSA’s pitchers struggled early, Fischer Kingsbery and Zachary Griggs combined to hold Southern Miss to one run over the final 5 1/3 innings.

Kingsbery pitched three innings and allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts and three walks. Griggs pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and held Southern Miss scoreless and hitless with one strikeout and one walk.

Kyle Bergeron has UTSA's longest current on-base streak at 15 games after a single in the bottom of the first inning against Southern Miss. - photo by Joe Alexander
Kyle Bergeron has UTSA’s longest current on-base streak at 15 games after a single in the bottom of the first inning.

TCU baseball infielder Conner Shepherd: photo gallery

TCU third baseman Conner Shepherd, a member of the 2020 Flying Chanclas de San Antonio, plays against UTSA on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at Roadrunner Field. - photo by Joe Alexander
TCU’s Conner Shepherd, a member of the 2020 Flying Chanclas de San Antonio, celebrates a home run during the 2021 college season.
Conner Shepperd spent parts of 2020 playing in relatively brief seasons for TCU and the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio.

The 6-foot-1 infielder from California started in all 15 games for the Horned Frogs in the covid-shortened 2020 college season.

He headed to San Antonio for the summer 2020 Texas Collegiate League season. Shepherd had four hits and five RBIs in the Flying Chanclas’ first six games of the season. He was later sidelined by an injury after taking a pitch off his hand.

Shepherd earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors at TCU in 2019 – the last full college season.

This season the left-handed hitter is third among the Horned Frogs in batting at .316 with one home run, one triple and three doubles with seven RBIs in 14 games. His home run came in San Antonio at Roadrunner Field against UTSA.

* Stats from gofrogs.com/

Conner Shepherd of the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio playing against the Acadiana Cane Cutters at Wolff Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2020. - photo by Joe Alexander
Conner Shepherd playing third base for the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio at Wolff Stadium during the 2020 Texas Collegiate League season.