GAME NOTES (PDF)
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas — In WKU Baseball's annual trip to the Lone Star State, the club goes head-to-head against UTSA for a three-game set from April 26-28. The Friday-to-Sunday series between the Hilltoppers and Roadrunners will have first pitch times of 6 p.m., 2 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.
The first two contests will feature righty Reece Calvert and lefty Troy Newell for WKU, while UTSA will send righty Karan Patel to the bump on Friday night. Righty Slater Foust is likely to make a start for the hosts on Saturday or Sunday.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Hilltoppers and Roadrunners will meet for the 13th, 14th and 15th times on the diamond.
- Although WKU boasts a 7-5 all-time series advantage over UTSA, the Roadrunners have outscored WKU 82-to-62 in the 12-game series.
- WKU and UTSA first met in 2015 when the Hilltoppers joined C-USA. WKU won 2-of-3 in the first series in San Antonio then swept the next set in Bowling Green, but the Roadrunners have taken 2-of-3 in each of the past two seasons.
WKU PREVIEW
- WKU past week recaps: FRIDAY & SATURDAY vs. Florida Atlantic (L, 5-8 & W, 11-4) | SUNDAY vs. Florida Atlantic (L, 4-6) | TUESDAY vs. Kentucky (L 4-15)
- Last week, Friday starter Reece Calvert saw his first game action in 18 days against the Owls at Nick Denes Field. In a rain-delayed game, the Plano, Texas, native allowed three earned run over four frames. Calvert threw 42-of-71 pitches for strikes and was able to rack up five strikeouts compared to only two walks.
- Right fielder Jake Sanford continues to lead C-USA hitters in virtually every offensive category with a .423/.500/.885 slash line, 18 homeruns, 34 extra-base hits, 55 runs batted in, 51 runs scored and 138 total bases. His .885 slugging percentage actually leads the country, while his 138 total bases are second, 18 homeruns are fourth, 55 runs batted in are fifth, .423 batting average is seventh, 66 hits are 10th, 51 runs scored are 11th and .500 on-base percentage is 17th.
- The Hilltoppers are 4-11 outside the state of Kentucky, 6-12 wearing black caps, 7-3 in one-run games, 2-9 on dirt/grass (at least infield), 5-0 when their starter goes five-plus innings, 13-5-1 when the opponent's starter goes fewer than five innings, 15-11-1 when the opponent throws a righty, 11-6-1 when scoring first, 9-3 when scoring in the first inning and 13-4 when out-hitting the opponent.
UTSA PREVIEW
- UTSAÂ past week recaps:Â THURSDAY vs. UABÂ (W, 12-1 [7])Â |Â SATURDAY DH vs. UAB (L, 3-7 & W, 4-1)Â |Â TUESDAY vs. Houston Baptist (W, 11-8)
- The Roadrunners enter the week with a 19-22 overall record, including an 8-10 mark in C-USA play. The victory over the Huskies was the 200th of head coach Jason Marshall's career.
- UTSA's 8-10 mark in C-USA action is good for ninth in the league standings; only two wins separate fourth-place WKU (9-8-1) and 10th-place FIU (7-11).
- A trio of hitters lead a Roadrunner offense that is collectively slashing .307/.399/.445 through the first 18 games of the C-USA season. In those 18 games, left fielder Ryan Stacy is slashing .403/.471/.542 and second baseman Bryan Arias boasts a .389/.488/.500 slash line of his own. Meanwhile, first baseman Bryan Sturges leads the team with 13 extra-base hits — including 11 doubles — and 17 runs batted in.
- Friday starter Karan Patel has been one of the most effective pitchers in C-USA. Although his record is 3-4, he owns a 2.37 earned run average with 69 strikeouts in 65 innings. He has only allowed 21 walks and 52 hits, for a batting average against of .218. Patel tossed six innings of one-run ball in the 12-1 victory over UAB last Thursday, allowing only two hits while striking out 12.
- Righty Slater Foust leads UTSA with a 5-1 record, while he has a 2.60 earned run average across nine starts. He has only struck out 29 in 55 innings, but also only allowed 53 hits and issued 16 walks. Foust pitched a seven-inning complete game with two strikeouts on Sunday, leading the Roadrunners to a 4-1 win over UAB by allowing only one run on four hits across 65 pitches.
