210 GAMEDAY

The 5-foot-11 outfielder has played in 10 of UTSA’s first 37 games, starting seven. He is batting .318.

*stats from goutsa.com

The 5-foot-10 transfer from Wichita State has been UTSA’s second catcher this season and played in seven games so far, starting six. He is batting .267.

*stats from goutsa.com

The 5-foot-11 infielder has played in 16 of UTSA’s first 37 games this season, starting 13. He is batting a team-high .362 with 14 RBIs.

*stats from goutsa.com

Rice won the first two games on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. UTSA won the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader 12-6. The Roadrunners scored 24 runs in 14 innings over the last two games.

UTSA had 18 hits on Sunday with four extra-base hits including a home run by Chase Keng. Griffin Paxton and Jonathan Tapia had four hits each, Ian Bailey had three and Dylan Rock and Keng both had two hits.

UTSA starting pitcher Simon Miller (3-1) went five innings and got the win. The freshman right-hander from Canton, Texas, allowed one run on three hits and struck out three batters.

Arturo Guajardo was the first UTSA reliever, going 2 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out five. Daniel Garza finished the eighth inning. Luke Malone struck out two batters as he pitched the ninth inning.

The Roadrunners’ next Conference USA series is on the road next weekend against UAB. UTSA’s final conference home series is May 7-9 against Old Dominion.

UTSA reliever Hunter Mason entered the second game in the third inning and dominated Rice the rest of the way. The senior from Boerne Champion held Rice scoreless over the final 4 2/3 innings to get the win. He allowed one hit with six strikeouts and one walk.

Rice’s first two pitchers struggled in a big way in UTSA’s victory. The Roadrunners scored five runs before recording their first hit. UTSA’s first six batters got on base on three walks and three hit-batters to score three runs. On what should have been the first out of the frame, UTSA scored two more runs on an error to go up 5-1.

UTSA led the rest of the way.

Roadrunners starting pitcher Kobe Jaramillo looked solid the first two innings before being pulled in the third. By avoiding the walks and hit batters that plagued Rice, Jaramillo left the game with UTSA leading by four runs.

Rice won the first game 5-4, rallying late after UTSA built a 4-2 lead.

UTSA and Rice wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. game Sunday at Roadrunner Field.

The game was the opener of a four-games series. UTSA and Rice play a 2 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.

Rice’s Justin Dunlap singled to lead off the sixth inning, went from first to third on a throwing error on a grounder, and scored the go-ahead run on a ground out.

Rice reliever Brandon Deskins pitched the final five innings to earn the win. He held UTSA scoreless on four hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Jonathan Tapia led UTSA with two hits, two runs and two RBIs. He had a two-run double to left-center and also scored in the fourth inning, when the Roadrunners scored three times to take a 6-5 lead.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander threw seven innings against UT Arlington on March 5 at Roadrunner Field, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Malone has pitched in 10 games this season, five starts and five in relief, and is second on the team in appearances. He has a 2-1 record and 5.70 ERA and leads the Roadrunners in innings pitched with 30.0.

Malone appeared in four games in the covid-shortened 2020 season, making one start. He earned all-district honors as a high school senior, when he had a 10-1 record and 1.81 ERA at Round Rock.