UTSA looks to make more history after upsetting the mighty Longhorns when the next round in the NCAA Baseball Tournament starts this weekend.
SAN ANTONIO — UTSA baseball continues its historic season this weekend in Los Angeles, where the Roadrunners will take the diamond opposite the UCLA Bruins in their first-ever Super Regionals games.
The ‘Runners put the college baseball world on notice when they defeated their big-brother Longhorns in back-to-back games last weekend, in the process booting the NCAA Baseball Tournament’s second overall seed from continued contention. With top overall seed Vanderbilt also exiting early, anything is possible in this next round of 32 teams that will determine who makes the College World Series.
Here’s what to know before the Roadrunner and Bruins do battle.
What’s at stake?
For UTSA, more program history.
The Roadrunners are making just their four tournament appearance in the team’s 33-year history. They never won a tourney game before, having gone 0-6 in regional matchups, most recently in 2013.
That changed last weekend, when UTSA – riding the momentum of the program’s first-ever 40-win season – won three games over Kansas State and UT, cementing itself as a potential tourney spoiler. With its first tournament wins under its belt, the program now looks to go even further: Victory in this weekend’s best-of-three series will officially punch UTSA’s ticket to College World Series, comprised of the eight remaining teams.
It would be the Roadrunners’ first time reaching the CWS stage in Omaha, Nebraska.
How good is their opponent?
UTSA should be confident they can be anyone after downing Texas, but UCLA is a formidable opponent too.
The Bruins sport a 45-16 record this season, including a 29-7 mark at home. Their 4.53 ERA ranks 31st for this season, and they’ve scored 8.16 runs per game (UTSA’s offense is a little more prolific, scoring 8.8 runs a game).
But the Bruins appear to be clocking on all cylinders at the perfect time. They outscored their opponents in the Los Angeles Regional 38-14, scoring 11-plus runs twice in those three games. UCLA also has much more tournament experience, having made it 11 times since 2010.
That includes the one time they won it all, in 2013.
UCLA and UTSA have never met on the diamond.
Who are the players to watch?
- Mason Lytle: .369 batting average (first on team), 74 runs (first), 66 RBI (first), 17 stole bases (first), 22 doubles (first)
- Andrew Detlefsen: 13 home runs (first), .993 OPS (second), 61 runs (second), 70 RBI (first)
- Robert Orloski: 3.23 ERA in 26 appearances
- Braylon Owens: 4.38 ERA in 14 game starts/20 total appearances, 97 strikeouts (leads team)
- Roch Cholowsky: .370 batting average (first on team), 78 runs (first), 72 RBI (second), 1.261 OPS (first)
- Mulivai Levu: 84 RBI (first), 12 home runs (tied for second), .321 batting average (fourth), 56 runs (third)
- Jack O’Connor: 1.88 ERA in 23 appearances (leads team)
- Michael Barnett: 4.18 ERA in 12 game starts/17 total appearances, 70 strikeouts (leads team)
When are the games?
The Los Angeles Super Regional is a best-of-three series between UTSA and UCLA, with the first game set to start at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday. First pitch for the second game is set for 2 p.m. Sunday.
Game 3, if necessary, will be Monday, but a starting time is still TBD.
All three games will be available to watch on ESPN’s family of networks, starting with Game 1 on ESPNU (ESPN+).
Who else is still in the tournament?
Other than the Roadrunners and Bruins, the teams vying to reach the College World Series are 3-seed Arkansas, 4-seed Auburn, 5-seed UNC, 6-seed LSU, 8-seed Oregon State, 9-seed Florida State, 13-seed Coastal Carolina, 14-seed Tennessee, Miami, Louisville, Duke, Murray State, Arizona and West Virginia.
CWS action gets underway Friday, June 13.