In a thrilling match during the Austin Regional on Friday, the second-seeded UTSA team secured a decisive 10-2 victory over No. 3 seed Kansas State. The win was buoyed by James Taussig’s three-run homer and Norris McClure’s solo shot, complemented by a strong performance from pitcher Zach Royse.
UTSA, with an impressive 45-13 record, is set to face No. 1 seed Texas on Saturday. Meanwhile, Kansas State, which now stands at 31-25, will engage in a critical elimination game against the No. 4 seed Houston Christian to kickstart the day.
The game’s momentum began to tilt in favor of UTSA early, with Andrew Stucky’s RBI single in the first inning followed by McClure’s homer in the third inning, establishing an initial 2-0 lead against the Wildcats’ starter, Jacob Frost.
James Taussig further extended UTSA’s lead by smashing a homer off Ty Ruhl with two outs in the sixth inning, pushing the score to 6-1. Taussig, who ended the night with two hits in four at-bats and two scores, capitalized on the first pitch he encountered after Ruhl relieved Frost.
The seventh inning saw UTSA stretch its lead further with contributions from Ty Hodge and Lorenzo Morresi, both delivering RBI base hits, culminating in a four-run rally.
Royse delivered a commendable stretch on the mound, conceding a single run on three hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. Christian Okerholm then took charge, concluding the game with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
In a brief response, Kansas State’s Nick English managed a pinch-hit solo home run in the seventh inning against UTSA’s reliever, Robert Orloski.
Kansas State starter Jacob Frost finished with five runs allowed over 5 1/3 innings, surrendering five hits and four walks. Ty Ruhl, who came in as relief, was unable to steady the skid, giving up four runs in one inning.
Despite Kansas State’s participation in six NCAA Tournaments, including last year, they have yet to reach the College World Series. UTSA is likewise striving to make their mark in the national tournament, appearing for the fourth time and their first since 2013, also without having made a CWS appearance.