Of course, every series is critical now ... but winning/sweeping this weekend's home series with the Roadrunners (9-9 in conference/7th) will go a long way toward getting our Owls (7-11/10th) into the C-USA conference tournament ... which if we win would extend our NCAA-tournament-appearance streak.

UTSA has neither swept -- nor been swept -- in any C-USA series this season

@ Marshall: 1-2 (lost Sat & Sun)
ODU: 1-2 (lost Fri & Sat)
@LaTech: 2-1 (lost Sun)
WKU: 2-1 (lost Sat)
@FIU: 1-2 (lost Th & Sat)
FAU: 2-1 (lost Sun)

- - -

UTSA's Record:

Home: 5-4
Away: 4-5

1st game: 4-2
2nd game: 3-3
3rd game: 2-4

UTSA preview: http://goutsa.com/news/2017/4/27/basebal...ekend.aspx

Series notes/PDF: http://goutsa.com/documents/2017/4/27//rice.pdf

Probable UTSA starting pitchers for first two games:

30 RHP Tyler Giovanoni Jr. ERA: 3.88 / BAA: .230 // 2-3 / 11-6 / 1 SV / 46.1 IP / 42 K / 19 BB
20 LHP Nolan Trabanino RSr. - ERA: 3.20 / BAA: .284 // 6-3 / 10-10 / 1 CG / 56.1 IP / 28 K / 21 BB

Probably USTA starters: (Based off of last game)

No. Pos. Player Yr. - - B/T - BA // Notes

4 RF Jesse Baker Sr. - - R/R - .298 // Ranks in UTSA top-10 in 9 categories
1 CF Kevin Markham RSr. - - L/R - .346 // Multi-hits in 4 of last 5 games
5 2B Bryan Arias So. - - R/R - .333 // Leads team in runs, RBI, slug pct.
34 1B Ben Brookover So. - - R/R - .379 // Hit in 18 of last 20 games
21 LF Trent Bowles Jr. - - R/R - .320 // Leads team with 7 stolen bases
16 3B Chris Estrada Jr. - - R/R - .268 // Leads team with 24 walks
13 SS C.J. Pickering Sr. - - R/R - .289 // Hasn’t had hit last 2 games
33 C Tony Beam Jr. - - R/R - .327 // Has not attempted a stolen base
32 DH Chris Muller Jr. - - R/R // No official at-bat

Go Owls!!!

Thanks Mike

UTSA has posted an overall 20 - 18 record (9-9 in CUSA, 9-7 on road, 6-7 vs. Top 50, 9-10 vs. Top 100). #104 RPI, #80 SoS, #141 OOC SOS vs. #78 RPI, #5 SoS and #4 OOC SoS for Rice. They took 2 of 3 from both FAU and LaTech...

http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2017/schedule/UTSA

On the mound, they have a stud closer (13 app, 2-0, 4 saves, 31.1 IP, 1.72 ERA, .168 BAA, 8 BBs, 44 Ks) and set-up man (18 app, 5-0, 30.1 IP, 2.37 ERA, .178 BAA, 22 BBs, 6 WPs, 5 HBPs, 27 Ks), but their starting pitching is no better than solid. However, they are one of the best offensive clubs in the conference, hitting .301/.381/.478 as a team, with 43 HRs and averaging 7.0 runs per game. They have one guy who has hit 10 HRs and another who has hit 9 HRs already this year.

I just don't get this lineup for tonight's game...

Chandler
Warren
Myer
DiCaprio
Proctor
Gray
Sarchet
Sheppard
Gneiting

Canterino

Warren continues to be mired in what's now a nearly 2-month slump, with a gawd awful .304 on-base percentage. What the heck is he doing at the top of the batting order, with Sheppard at #8? Charlie should be batting #8 or #9 until he shows some signs of life. Makes absolutely no sense. I'd also put Sheppard ahead of Sarchet-- against RHPs, LHPs and everything inbetween.

JP's pre-game volume was fine ... but now as he starts to call the game, he's back to that whisper volume, maybe 20 percent.

I wonder what switch they throw -- presumably accidentally -- that causes such a dramatic decrease in stream volume.

And is no one responsible listening to the stream so mistakes like this are corrected quickly?

T1: Canterino starts with 3 balls ... then a call strike and foul to get to a full count ... then gives up a solid single to center.

And another single falls in front of the LF near the line.

HBP. Grrr. Bases loaded.

Canterino likes a challenge. 3-0 UTSA.

T1, cont'd:

Proctor makes a nifty DP up the middle, but a run scored.

Next batter pokes a 2-run opposite field homer over the RF wall. Bummer.

F-6 in short left ends the inning.

3-0, UTSA ... heading to B1.

Looks like we'll need a lot of hits and runs thonight, Owls. Go get 'em!!

3 pitch strikeout for Chandler.

1st pitch F9 for Warren.

2 pitch F6 for Myers.

UTSA dominating Rice in all aspects of the game so far.

Chandler swinngs at his first three pitches ... fouls the first two to the left side ... wiffs on the third, despite being highish and a bit outside, too.

Warren's first pitch hit to short-right field, caught by a sloppy sliding catch. Bummer.

Owl's first "take" of the game is a ball high to Meyers, who shows bunt. But the next pitch is an inning-ending high popup to 3rd. Grrrr.

1-2-3 in 6 pitches. Not the best strategy, I'd think.

3-0, UTSA ... after 1.

Better result in T2.

T2:

Call strike, then foul. Then three not-close balls. And a wiff on a pitch below the knees. Nice!!

Wiff, then call strike. Soft liner in the left-side hole ... snagged by diving Myers ... 5-3. Excellent play!

Ball. Line single to left, just out of Myers' reach.

First-pitch smash down the 3B line. Myers is playing near the bag, knocks it down. His throw is a bit off-line, but Sheppard tags the runner for the final out.

3-0, UTSA ... heading to B2.

DiCaprio lines out to RF.

But Proctor's good for a single and Gray draws a walk.

B2:

DiCaprio: Ball. 2 fouls to the right. Ball-low. Opposite field poke to short right. Diving catch coming in. I thought it would fall in ... camera moved left, rather than right.

Proctor slaps single to center.

Gray: Foul back. Ball-low/outside. Ball-low/inside. Ball-inside. 3-1 count. Low & inside! Walk. 2 on, 1 out.

Sarchet: Ball-outside. Pitching coach to the mound.

Walk for Sarchet. Bases loaded for Sheppard.

B2, cont'd

Visit didn't help the Roadrunner pitcher. 3 more balls loads the bases. 1 out.

Sheppard is the guy you want up here... Hoping we capitalize.

Infield single for Sheppard, RBI, bases still loaded, Gneiting 2 RBI single, tie game.

Chandler HBP, bases reloaded for Warren.