Texan bats not enough as they drop game two to UTSA

STEPHENVILLE – UTSA scored ten runs in the first three innings to pull ahead early and ultimately top Tarleton 12-8 in game two of the series at the Tarleton Baseball Complex.

In a game where there were more runs that hits, UTSA (2-0) benefitted from being hit by six pitches and eight walks from the Tarleton (0-2) pitching staff to keep runners on the bases throughout.

The Texans out hit the Roadrunners 10-8, but the hits and runs were too little too late.

The Texans offense went to work in the second inning. Junior Colby Seltzer ripped a double to right-center field to score freshman Trace Morrison, and sophomore Mason Crews followed that up with a double of his own to score Seltzer. Senior Bryan Aguilar singled up the middle to score Crews and junior Alec Williams ripped a double to left field to score Aguilar. The Texans exited the second inning down 6-4.

The fifth inning was promising to start for the Texan offense as graduate senior Kemuel Thomas-Rivera and junior Carter Dobrinski both singled and then were advanced to second and third base due to a UTSA balk. Graduate senior Taylor Daniell came up to bat and lined a single to right field to score Thomas-Rivera to make it a 10-5 ballgame.

Morrison came up to bat and laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line to advance Daniell to second and load the bases with no outs but UTSA’s Ulises Quiroga struck the next three Texans out swinging to end the inning.

Tarleton got within three runs after putting up three runs in the eighth inning to make it an 11-8 game. Crews and Aguilar walked to start the inning, and Williams sent a shot off the right field fence to score Crews for Williams second RBI of the day. London Green hit an RBI single through the right side and Thomas-Rivera hit a sacrifice fly to left to cap the scoring for the Texans.

UTSA knocked Tarleton starting pitcher Kyler Mentzel out of the game in the first inning. Mentzel walked four batters, had a wild pitch and two passed balls. He went 0.2 innings allowing two hits and four runs.

Riley Boyd came in to relieve Mentzel and pitched 1.1 innings giving up five runs (four earned) on three hits. Following Boyd’s exit the Texan combination of Zach Gagnon, Beau Ross and Jake Burcham gave up only three runs and three hits in the seven-remaining innings.

Ross entered the game in the top of the fourth and pitched 3.0 innings allowing one hit and striking out four.

Williams, Crews and Morrison each had their first hits as Texans in the game. The Texan pitching staff struck out 14 batters to UTSA’s eight.

The Texans are back in action at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Tarleton Baseball Complex for the series finale. They look for their first win of the season.