SAN ANTONIO -- Simon Miller fanned a career-high 10 in 4.2 shutout innings in relief, leading a UTSA pitching staff that saw four pitchers combined to allow only a single in an 8-1 series-clinching win over FIU, on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (26-13, 11-6 Conference USA) saw its pitching staff completely handcuff the Panthers throughout the game, not allowing a hit until the sixth inning, a two-out single. The Roadrunners held FIU to a 1-for-28 line at the plate, striking out a season-high 17 hitters.
UTSA scored in five of nine innings, including single tallies in the first and second and two-run frames in the third, sixth and seventh. FIU got on the board with three walks and a hit batter in the third inning.
UTSA started senior righty Jacob Jimenez worked two batters into the second inning, allowing three walks with a strikeout. With two on and no outs, UTSA called on John Chomko in relief, escaping the jam. Chomko worked two innings, allowing a run with three walks and three strikeouts.
Miller (2-3) opened the fourth inning and turned in a sterling outing, allowing just a single while striking out a career-high 10 in 4.2 innings. He issued a walk with two outs in the seventh inning and the Roadrunners called on Fischer Kingsbery in relief. Kingsbery got the final four outs, striking out three.
The Roadrunners collected eight runs on 13 hits, getting a three-hit, two-RBI outing from Ian Bailey. UTSA also got two hits from Shane Sirdashney, Leyton Barry and Chase Keng, who doubled twice. Jonathan Tapia extended his hitting streak to seven games, with Ryan Flores and Matt King each adding hits. Josh Killeen drew a pair of walks off the bench.
FIU (11-25, 4-13 C-USA) starter Patrick Pridgen (2-5) – who entered the game ranked second in the league in strikeouts – worked five innings, allowing four runs on six hits, walking three and striking out three. Jan Figueroa opened the sixth, with FIU also using Jack Clemente and Owen Puk in relief.
The Roadrunners opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, starting with the 15th double of the year from Tapia, who scored after Sirdashney smacked an RBI double inside the bag on the third-base side. Sirdashney extended his streak of reaching base safely to a team-leading 21 games.
In the bottom of the second inning, UTSA stretched the lead to 2-0, getting a leadoff full-count walk from Keng, who motored to third on a shallow single from Bailey into leftfield. Barry followed with a laser line drive up the middle, hustling to second with a double and scoring Keng.
FIU got a run back in the top of the third inning, cutting the lead to 2-1 with three walks and a hit batter, with Robert Sotolongo scoring from third on a wild pitch.
The Roadrunners kept the pressure on in the third inning, getting walks from Flores and Killeen before Keng ripped a two-run double into the gap in right-centerfield.
Keng led off the sixth with a double into the right-centerfield gap, scoring after Bailey spanked a double into the left-centerfield gap. Barry then pushed Bailey to third with an infield single and King singled through the left side to make it 6-1.
The seventh inning started with a Poston single and after a balk and a passed ball, scored on a wild pitch for a 7-1 UTSA lead. Bailey scored Sirdashney, who reached on a walk, with an RBI single on the left side of the infield for a seven-run lead.
Saturday Notes
Home Runs
UTSA: none
FIU: none
WP – Simon Miller (2-3)
SV – none
LP – Patrick Pridgen (2-5)
Up Next
The Roadrunners will return to action with the finale of the series, set for 11 a.m. at Roadrunner Field, live on CUSA TV.
- UTSA -
