UT Tyler vs. MSU Denver UTT: 37-17, 34-14 LSC | MSUD: 42-12, 25-7 RMAC Thursday, May 18 San Angelo, Texas | Foster Field at 1st Community Credit Union Stadium

SCHEDULE

ROSTER

STATS

THE ROAD TO THE TOURNAMENT
 
The 2023 UT Tyler baseball team has put together the best season of the Division II era as they have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the Division II era. The Patriots have played to a record of 37-17 thus far in 2023 and earned the number three seed in the LSC Tournament and advanced to the second weekend for the second consecutive year. On the year, the Patriots have played to a record of 8-6 against nationally ranked opponents and finished the year 34-14 against LSC competition.
 
NATIONAL ATTENTION
 
The Patriots are currently ranked #27 in the Collegiate Baseball Top 30 and #21 in the latest NCBWA Top 25. This is the eighth consecutive week that the Patriots have been ranked inside the top 30 of the Collegiate Baseball poll, and the eighth consecutive week that the Patriots have been at least receiving votes in the NCBWA poll.
 
POSTSEASON AWARDS
 
Several Patriots have accumulated postseason awards, as Garrett Arredondo and Lane Hutchinson each picked up NCBWA All-South Central Region honors on Wednesday. The pair were also named to the All-LSC First Team. Kaston Mason picked up LSC Freshman of the Year honors, and was also named to the All-LSC Second Team along with Dylan Blomquist, Ethan Bedgood, Austin Ochoa, and Jordan Gochenour. Miles Clack also picked up an All-LSC Third Team honor, and both Bedgood and Riley Lambert were named to the LSC All-Academic Team.
 
THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION TOURNAMENT
 
The Patriots picked up the #4 seed in their first ever NCAA South Central Regional appearance, and will join #5 seed MSU Denver at #1 Angelo State for the three team regional bracket. #2 seed Colorado Mesa will host #3 St. Edward's and #6 Lubbock Christian in their bracket.
 
The teams will battle it out in a double elimination bracket as #4 UT Tyler and #5 MSU Denver will lead off tournament action at 3 p.m. The loser of the first contest will then have to turn around and face off with #1 seed Angelo State at 7 p.m. in hopes of avoiding elimination on the first day of competition.
 
Ultimately, the two teams that make it out of their regional brackets will then meet at the highest remaining seed's host site for a best of three series in the NCAA Super Regionals to determine who will represent the South Central Region at the NCAA Division II World Series.
 
THE SCOUTING REPORT
 
MSU Denver will head into Thursday's contest ranked #21 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Top 30 and are Receiving Votes in the latest NCBWA Top 25. The Roadrunners are 42-12 on the season and finished 25-7 in RMAC play this year.
 
MSU Denver is hitting .363 as a team this season over their 54 games which is second in the RMAC for the year. On a national level, the Roadrunners are second in batting average, first in doubles and doubles per game, first in runs, first in scoring, second in slugging percentage, and second in home runs and home runs per game.
 
Leading that charge on offense for the Roadrunners has been several key players, but none bigger than Tanner Garner. Garner is the national leader in hits, ranks third in doubles, and is second in both batting average. Garner is hitting .459 with 95 hits, 25 doubles, 11 home runs, and is on base at a .508 clip so far.
 
MSU Denver on the pitching side however, holds a 6.80 team ERA which was third in the RMAC. That ERA ranks 164^th nationally, and the team is 151^st in WHIP, 96^th in walks allowed per nine innings, 56^th in strikeouts per nine innings, and 64^th in strikeout to walk ratio. On the mound leading the Roadrunners is Jack Slominski. Slominski has posted a 5.24 ERA over 14 appearances and is 9-2 on the year. He has thrown 68.2 innings while allowing 40 earned runs and has struck out 58 batters.
 
Ryan Strain is at the helm of the program and is in the midst of his sixth season. Strain led the Roadrunners to their first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2022 after claiming the 2022 RMAC Tournament title.
 
NEXT UP
 
As stated, the loser of tomorrow afternoon's contest will then turn around and face off with #1 seed Angelo State at 7 p.m. in hopes of keeping their postseason alive. The winner of tomorrow's game will move on to Friday where they will have to play the waiting game to determine their next opponent.