UTSA Tops K-State in Opening-Round Friday

Via K-State Athletics

AUSTIN, Texas – Second-seeded UTSA scored seven runs over the sixth and seventh innings to defeat No. 3-seed K-State, 10-2, Friday night on the first day of the NCAA Austin Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field

K-State fell to 31-25 on the year and will play an elimination game against No.4-seed Houston Christian (32-24) at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by a matchup between UTSA (45-13) and No. 2 national seed and regional host Texas (43-12) at 8 p.m.

“UTSA put a lot of pressure on us and put the ball in play,” head coach Pete Hughes commented following the loss. “We had our opportunities, but bottom line is they got big two-out hits, and we didn’t.”

UTSA’s pitching staff of starter Zach Royse, and relievers Robert Orloski and Christian Okerholm limited the Wildcats to just two runs on six hits, with Royse (9-4) earning the victory. The right-hander surrendered one run and scattered just three hits in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.

Offensively, four players for UTSA turned in multi-hit efforts with James Taussig generating a game-high three RBI with a three-run homer in the sixth.

“The three-run homer was the deciding point of the game, and then they damage controlled the fourth inning. [UTSA] did a great job there with the bases load and no outs and come out of there with only one run scoring. That’s pretty good job by them. [Royse] their starter battled and did a good job,” Hughes added.

Lefty Jacob Frost, who was tagged for the loss and moved to 1-5 on the year, held the Roadrunners to five hits in his 5 1/3-innings. The senior allowed five runs and struck out five in his 15^th start, while issuing four walks.

Six different Wildcats produced a hit in the opening round, that included a solo blast by pinch-hitter Nick English, while AJ Evasco drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Saturday’s elimination game will stream on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on the K-State Sports Network with a free live streaming audio on kstatesports.com/watch.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After retiring the Cats in order, UTSA jumped on the board in the opening frame behind catcher Andrew Stucky’s single up the middle. UTSA’s Norris McClure homered to left field to expand the lead, 2-0, in the third inning.

Maximus Martin worked a walk, the third walk from Royse, to lead off the fourth before Seth Dardar laced the Cats’ first hit into center to position runners on first and third. Keegan O’Connor was hit in the next at bat to load the bases, forcing a mound visit for UTSA.

With one out, freshman AJ Evasco lifted a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Martin to score from third and pull the score within one.

The Roadrunners recovered the run handed over in the top of the inning, utilizing one hit and a fielding error to stretch their lead back out to two, but Frost’s fourth strikeout of the game left the bases loaded.

Shintaro Inoue beat the shift and lined his lone hit– a two-out single – between the Roadrunners’ second baseman and shortstop to register the Cats second hit of the game. Martin flared a 1-0 pitch into left field, but a diving catch by Garrett Gruell ended the threat.

Royse carried a two-hitter into the sixth, until O’Connor took a 2-2 pitch into right field, leading UTSA to make the first pitching change of the nightcap. Kennedy singled through the left side in his first at bat against reliever Orloski, until a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. The Roadrunners picked up two quick outs to strand the duo.

The Cats tacked a run to the board in the seventh, as Nick English stepped off the bench and blasted a solo shot 404-feet to left center.  

UTSA spotted K-State for seven runs over a two-inning stretch to put the game away, highlighted by a three-run homer from James Taussig in the sixth.

INSIDE THE BOX

• UTSA scored 10 runs on 10 hits with no errors committed and left nine men on base.
• K-State scored two runs on six hits, committed two errors and stranded nine runners on base.
• Royse logged 5 1/3 innings of one-run, one hit ball with five strikeouts and three walks.
• Frost (1-4) was tagged for the loss, surrendering five runs, all earned, on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The lefty issued four walks and struck out five.
• Six different players produced a hit for K-State.
• English homered in the seventh – his second of the year.
• Four Roadrunners turned in multi-hit efforts, led by three RBI from Taussig with his three-run homer in the sixth.
• UTSA drove in four runs with two outs, hitting .273 (3-for-11) with two away and .267 (4-for-15) in scoring position.
• K-State went 1-for-10 with two outs and was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.  

TEAM NOTES

• UTSA pulled ahead, 3-2, in the all-time series between the two squads, while Friday marked the first meeting since 2009.
• K-State posts an all-time record of 9-7 during the regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
• The loss snapped a six-game winning streak in the regional round.
• K-State is 28-12 when hitting one or more home runs in a game.

2025 NCAA AUSTIN REGIONAL
Friday, May 30
1 p.m. CT – Game 1: No. 1 Texas 7, Houston Christian 1
6 p.m. CT – Game 2: No. 2 UTSA 10, K-State 2

Saturday, May 31
2 p.m. CT – Game 3: No. 4 Houston Christian vs. No. 3 K-State
8 p.m. CT – Game 4: No. 2/1 Texas vs. No. 2 UTSA