UTSA Sweeps Memphis After Walk-Off Win in Eleven Innings

The UTSA Roadrunners won their 6^th consecutive conference series with it also being their third conference sweep of the season. With the three wins, they are now 33-10 on the season and 15-3 in conference play. Perhaps their biggest test yet will be the next two weekends, both on the road. For this weekend, however, it was a successful series that featured two run-rules and an extra-innings walk off win to complete the sweep.

STRIKES

Middle Inning Magic…

Across the weekend, UTSA scored 35 runs to Memphis’ 14. Much of that damage came from the 5^th inning on. 

26 of the 35 runs to be exact. 

When you look at runs scored in only the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th the number is 17. Almost half of their runs for the entire weekend came from three innings each game. 

The middle innings are a crucial part of the game. Productive offense can knock a starter out of the game, it can set-up the opportunity for insurance for the bullpen, or it can bring the run-rule into effect. 

This was the case in games 1 and 2 of the series. Game three was a nail-biter that included two innings of free baseball. What did game 3 not have? Middle Inning Magic. 

This team has shown they can score at multiple points in the game. That is a key part that makes them so dangerous. The opposing team can’t truly relax and feel they are ever completely in the clear. 

The middle inning of the middle innings was the most productive. Of the 17 runs scored in the 4^th-6^th, 9 runs were scored in the fifth this weekend. 

Quality Starts…

Helped with run support early, the Friday and Saturday starters, Zach Royse and Braylon Owens respectively, churned out long outings. 

Both were able to go at least six, log at least eight strikeouts, and walk only two. That, paired with early endings helped UTSA preserve their bullpen for what would turn out to be a much-needed Sunday game of longer relief.

Owens’ final line won’t completely jump off the page, but some of that damage came from getting the seventh. I’m okay with pushing him a bit at this point, especially considering the Roadrunners had a seven-run lead to start the frame. 

With only using one arm bullpen arm Friday and Saturday, Robert Orloski and Connor Kelley were completely fresh for their Sunday outings. 

While they weren’t starts, they both went longer in relief, and kept the series finale in reach until the UTSA bats chipped away. Kelley was the most impressive on Sunday, throwing the 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th, all scoreless with no walks, no hits, and two strikeouts. 

Big hits… 

UTSA showed off the power this weekend. They also had clutch hits on Sunday to even the final game and bring the reality of a sweep back into play. 

First let’s talk about the long ball. The Roadrunners hit seven home runs as a team this weekend. Two individuals, Ty Hodge and James Taussig, hit multi home runs across the weekend. James Taussig hit a home run in each game. 

Taussig’s three-run home run opened the fifth inning magic on Friday. His three-run home run on Saturday would be the walk-off winner by run-rule in eight. And finally, his solo home run on Sunday evened the game back up. 

Side note: The run-rule win on Saturday was UTSA’s 11^th of the season. The previous season high was 10 in 2022. Before that, it was nine run-rule or 10+ run margin of victory in 2008. 

Ty Hodge had a big weekend. Ty made a great play late on Sunday to end an inning. He also had two homeruns this weekend. The first one of the weekends was a grand slam that would help kickstart the weekend with a run-rule win. 

Ty also had two big hits on Sunday. The first was a single that cut the deficit to one. He would then come in to score on a huge Broc Parmer RBI triple. 

Ty would then have the walk-off RBI in the 11^th. The coolest part about the walk-off was that he had a chance in the ninth to do the same. If not for an incredible diving catch by the Memphis CF, the game would have ended there. 

Ty’s walk off single? A fly ball that bounced off the CF wall with the same Memphis center fielder unable to come up with it this time. 

Baseball is neat. 

BALLS…

The long ball… 

It is understandable that with how well UTSA was hitting home runs, that they were giving them up as well. 

It seemed like some of the homeruns had some extra carry to them at points. Some were just bombs. There were also plenty of loud outs on both sides. 

Perhaps the best aspect of this “ball” is that of the five home-runs UTSA allowed, only one was during a critical point of the series. 

That would be Justin Fogel’s solo home run in the top of the 8^th. The homerun was a no-doubter and bumped Memphis’ lead from one to two. UTSA responded in a big way, however, and tied the game their next chance up. 

The Roadrunners pride themselves on throwing strikes. With this focus, there will be more opportunities to allow home runs. 

I haven’t looked lately to see how this squad is doing in allowing the long ball compared to previous seasons with this staff. On initial reflection it seems like they are giving up less. 

For this weekend however it did stick out a little. To circle back to the objectivity though, three of the five came at a point in the series where UTSA had a very comfortable lead. 

The situational game… 

There haven’t been many times this season I’ve felt UTSA lost the situational aspect of the game. Sunday was one of those days. 

It seemed early on that the Roadrunners were a little sluggish. Not to excuse anything. It was the Sunday of a weekend with a lot of offense. At the same time, they only played fifteen innings coming into the series finale. 

Memphis returned the favor of the double steal and not only scored a run but also gained second. I felt Jordan Ballin should have run down the runner at 1^st, once he glanced over. His throw was off-set and short of a chance for a tag.

That runner who reached second would be the second run of the inning a few batters later. 

Memphis also successfully laid down a sac-bunt that turned into a bunt single. That may be credit to Memphis though as they perfectly pulled Miller in and over with no chance to get back to first base. 

There were also some misplayed fly balls over the weekend that weren’t critical, but you don’t love to see. 

UTSA demonstrated a higher level of discipline during the series against Memphis, committing only one error compared to the Tigers’ four. 

They also cleaned up the situational game when Stucky successfully ran down a Memphis Tiger trying to complete a safety squeeze. The Tiger couldn’t get the bunt down and the runner overcommitted and paid for it. This was a big spot in the series finale as the tag out was the second out, and the inning ended on a strikeout a few pitches later. 

THE PAY OFF PITCH

Now, it appears that UTSA will have a midweek again. Not to any fault of their own, but it has been four weeks since the Roadrunners had a midweek. Two of those weeks were games that A&M Corpus Christi canceled on their end due to schedule logistics and field conditions. The other week was a designed off week with a quick turnaround because of Easter. 

They will return to the midweek slate with a big one, facing off against the always exciting Texas State Bobcats. 

Texas State has continued to struggle overall this season. They have had their share of big wins at the same time. Like UTSA, they have midweek wins against Texas A&M and Texas. 

Perhaps most importantly is the fact that this series is always crazy. All bets are off. 

When Texas State came to the Bird Bath back in March it looked like UTSA would end the night early with a run-rule win. That was before Texas State scored three runs in the 7^th, two in the 8^th, and four in the 9^th. 

The final score was 12-9, Roadrunners.  If not for two crucial insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, that ninth inning would have been even more nerve racking. 

All that to say, don’t expect anything normal this Tuesday. Especially with the gaming being at Texas State where the ball LOVES to fly. 

The final interesting piece will be if UTSA is ranked Monday morning. I personally don’t believe enough teams will drop out for UTSA to make their way in.

 But with three ranked wins, 33 wins on the season, alone at the top of the AAC standings, and eleven run-rule wins, it’s possible. 

It’s a great time to be a Roadrunner Baseball fan! 

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