MIAMI – A 10-run seventh inning and two grand slams led the No. 25 UTSA baseball team to an explosive 22-8 series-opening win over FIU on Friday night at FIU Baseball Stadium.
QUICK HITS
- Starting pitcher Luke Malone earned his sixth win (6-2) of the season, allowing a handful of runs and striking out three in 5.2 innings pitched.
- Matt King led the Roadrunners with a 4-for-6 outing, including three runs and five RBI.
- Three Roadrunners had three-hit games, including Taylor Smith (two runs and six RBI), Sammy Diaz (three runs and two RBI) and Garrett Poston (two runs and four RBI).
- Two more had two-hit games – Leyton Barry and Antonio Valdez.
- Smith and King both hit grand slams, UTSA's first two of the season.
- Smith extended his reached base streak to 31 games, while Valdez extended his hitting/reached base streak to 11 games.
- The Roadrunners improved to a 29-9 overall record (13-2 in C-USA), while FIU fell to a 15-23 overall record (3-13 in conference play).
BREAKDOWN OF THE GAME
The Panthers opened up scoring in the bottom of the second, taking a 1-0 lead on a single.
In the top of the third, the Roadrunners took a 2-1 lead on a two RBI single by Valdez. FIU got the lead right back (3-2) on a solo home run and RBI double. From this point on, the game belonged to the Roadrunners.
A single by Diaz tied the game up at 3-3, before a grand slam by Smith gave UTSA a 7-3 lead. This marked the first grand slam that the Roadrunners have recorded this season.
In the fifth frame, Poston hit a single to drive in two more runs. Three more runs came across on a passed ball and Poston single in the sixth inning. A two-run home run by the Panthers in the bottom of the sixth made the score 12-5, still in favor of UTSA.
Many consider seven a lucky number and that may have worked in the Roadrunners' favor as UTSA scored 10 runs to jump out to a 22-5 advantage in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, King launched UTSA's second grand slam of the season to begin the 10-run frame. Six more runs scored in the inning on singles by Diaz, Smith, James Taussig, Caleb Hill and King.
The Panthers scattered a trio of runs across the seventh and eighth innings. Ryan Beaird came in to close out the game and forced a scoreless final frame as UTSA secured the 22-8 win over FIU on Friday night.
ON DECK
The Roadrunners and Panthers resume the series in game two on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT in Miami.
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