The UTSA Roadrunners return to the diamond against the Utah Utes on Friday, February 19th.
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Picked to finish fifth in the West, the Roadrunners are looking to start off hot under pseudo new head coach Pat Hallmark. For the second season in a row, the Birds had no one placed on the preseason All-Conference Team. Finishing off 10-7 on the season with series sweeps against Quinnipiac and Grambling, the Roadrunners were entering into a bit of a losing streak when the season was called off due to COVID-19. The Runners will take on Utah, Sam Houston, UT Arlington, LSU, Baylor, and Corpus Christi A&M before conference play kicks off against Rice. Since the season was canceled last year just before conference play, we really never got to see how the squad looked against teams of the same caliber. Because of this, I expect the coaching staff to lean on their veterans.
Players to Watch
Jonathan Tapia: The O’Conner grad is one of the more consistent hitters in the Roadrunner dugout. Tapia had a busy Summer League stealing 17 of the 19 bases attempted.
Taylor Barber: The infielder will be playing in his third year in San Antonio, so I expect Barber to be a strong presence in the infield and batting rotation. This is a young team, and Barber’s experience will prove useful as the season wears on.
Griffin Paxton: With 43 Carrer RBI’s Paxton’s Bat is one of the more reliable tools in Coach Hallmark’s Belt. Paxton averaged 1.1 hits in his 13 games played last season, with 8 runs tallied before the season was canceled.
Dylan Rock: Dylan’s biggest contribution to the Roadrunners is his batting. With a .409 On-Base percentage, 74 RBI’s, and 145 hits expect Rock to be a force in the box.
Hunter Mason: Expect the seasoned pitcher to get a large portion of starts throughout the season.
Season Outlook
The Roadrunners usually win handily at home due to sharp pitching from veteran players so I expect sweeps versus the Utes and the Mavericks. Trips like the ones to Huntsville and Baton Rouge can really weigh on a team but if the Roadrunner offense can stay alive thanks to hitters like Dylan Rock and John Tapia expect the Runners to take a few on the road.
A popular saying amongst UTSA Baseball fans is “nothing matters till conference” and that phrase will be put to the test when the Roadrunners head to Houston to take on Rice. The Owls are coming off of one of their worst seasons in recent memory only winning 2 of their 16 games. (both wins against Missouri State) I expect the Roadrunners to kick off Conference play with two solid road wins against a divisional rival.
In talks with players, I have come to the conclusion that Pat Hallmark is a coach whose mentality revolves around effort. He works the players hard and expects the best from them. I have no real doubt that the team will be anything less than prepared for this season both mentally and physically. I expect sharp pitching and a lot of hits to start this season off.
FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way
