The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UTSA
No. 5 Baseball drops 14-10 decision to UTSA
04.18.2006 | Baseball
SAN ANTONIO -- The Roadrunners scored nine unearned runs, including five during a six-run bottom of the eighth, to overcome three deficits on the night as No. 5 Texas lost a 14-10 decision to UT-San Antonio in front of 3,372 fans at Wolff Stadium on Tuesday, April 18.
While the Horns' (27-13) loss to UTSA (24-12) was only their second in the last eight games, it also marked the first win in the all-time series between these two clubs for the Roadrunners since Feb. 9, 1999 (an 11-10 victory at Disch-Falk Field).
Texas grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with two outs on Kyle Russell's (Tomball, Texas) ninth home run of the season and seventh in the last 14 games. After UTSA stranded three runners over the first two innings, the Roadrunners put two on with two outs in the third via a pair of walks before a double from James Keithley knotted the game at 1-1. One frame later in the fourth, UT-San Antonio took its first lead of the ballgame at 2-1 when Zach Etheredge came up with a leadoff single, moved to third on two consecutive bunts and scored on a two-out, base hit from Marshall Davis. Looking to answer in the top of the fifth, the Horns placed runners on first and second with one down courtesy of a hit batter and a walk. A throwing error and a two-run single off the bat of Drew Stubbs (Atlanta, Texas) then brought in three runs and established a 4-2 UT advantage.
In the sixth, the Longhorns had both Chance Wheeless (Round Rock, Texas) and Bradley Suttle (Boerne, Texas) open the inning with singles and Chais Fuller (Fairfield, Calif.) deliver a two-out RBI base hit to make it a 5-2 contest. UTSA then managed to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth with two hits sandwiched around an error. A pair of RBI-groundouts followed by a walk and RBI-singles from Michael McKennon and Lee Todesco with two down resulted in four unearned scores and claimed a 6-5 lead for the Roadrunners. Looking to bounce back in the top of the seventh, UT placed runners on the corners with no outs. While UTSA would get the first out of the inning on a fielder's choice that cut down the runner from third base at home, Wheeless singled in one run in front of a RBI-double off the bat of Suttle to pull Texas on top by a score of 7-6. An intentional walk to Russell then loaded the bases before a walk to Preston Clark (Rockwall, Texas), a sac fly from Fuller and a run-scoring base hit off the bat of Brett Lewis (Rockwall, Texas) brought in three more runs to give the Horns a 10-6 lead.
Failing to go quietly, the Roadrunners loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh and came up with two runs to trim their deficit to 10-8 after a two-out single from J.R. Voyles. While UT reliever Joseph Krebs (Bridgeport, Texas), who entered late in the frame, retired his next batter on a fly ball to left to end the inning, UTSA put the go-ahead run on base in the eighth as a leadoff single, a walk and a one-out base hit loaded the bases. A fielder's choice that combined with an error then plated two runs to deadlock the game at 10-10. Another single loaded the bases with one out before an error on a safety squeeze bunt brought in two runs, a sac fly scored another and a two-out, RBI-single by McKennon staked UTSA to a 14-10 advantage. Down to their final three outs, the Horns attempted to rally, but UTSA reliever Noah Tritz, who came on in relief during the seventh and was the seventh Roadrunners' pitcher used, worked his second consecutive 1-2-3 inning to cap off the win. While Tritz improved to 8-0 on the year with the victory after allowing only one run on one hit and striking out a pair over 2.2 innings of relief, Krebs incurred the loss for UT.
Headlining the Texas' offense, which collected 10 hits and had eight of its nine starters collect at least one RBI, were Wheeless, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, Fuller, who tied a career-best with a pair of RBI during a two-hit outing, and Russell, whose second-inning home run gave the Longhorns 24 round-trippers in the last 12 contests. The Roadrunners, meanwhile, had their 15-hit attack led by Todesco, who went 3-for-5 with one run scored and one RBI, Etheredge, who scored four runs during a three-hit effort, and the duo of Davis an Voyles, who each drove in three runs on the night. Of additional note for UT, Stubbs and Fuller each extended their current hit streaks to six and four games, respectively.
Up next, the Horns return home to Disch-Falk Field to open a three-game conference series with No. 3 Nebraska on Friday, April 21 at 6:15 p.m. Central. To purchase tickets, call 1-800-982-BEVO.
