ALPINE, TEXAS – The UT Tyler baseball team secured its eighth consecutive series-opening victory in dominant fashion, rolling to a 19-1 win over Sul Ross State on ThursdayQ1. Game two of the series was suspended due to weather and will resume Friday.

The Patriots wasted no time setting the tone in game one. Connor Clark opened the contest with a leadoff home run, giving UT Tyler an early 1-0 advantage.

UT Tyler broke the game open in the second inning following a clean frame on the mound from Julio Garcia. A combination of hit-by-pitches, defensive miscues, and timely hitting helped the Patriots push across eight runs in the inning. Cole Ketzner highlighted the rally with an RBI single, while Spencer Simpson added to the lead with an RBI knock as UT Tyler extended its advantage to 9-0.

The momentum continued in the third inning as the Patriots erupted for nine more runs on five hits. Ketzner delivered again with an RBI double, while Travis Bragg and Brock Bearden each contributed RBI hits in the inning. Tanner Hornback capped off the scoring with a two-run single, pushing the lead to 18-0.

Sul Ross State scored its lone run in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a double, a groundout, and a wild pitch. UT Tyler quickly answered in the bottom half as Ryan Walker launched a solo home run to finalize the 19-1 scoreline.

On the mound, Garcia set the tone with three strong innings, allowing just three hits while striking out four. Grady Baetz and Ryan Lawton combined to finish the game, surrendering only one run on one hit while striking out five.

Offensively, eight Patriots recorded hits, with multiple-hit performances from Hornback, Ketzner, and Simpson. Ketzner led the way with a perfect 3-for-3 outing, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Hornback went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Simpson added two hits, two runs, and an RBI.

With the win, UT Tyler improves to 30-9 overall and remains atop the Lone Star Conference standings.

Game two of the series was halted due to weather with the Patriots leading 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Play will resume Saturday at noon with one out, two runners on base, and Hornback at the plate in a 2-0 count. UT Tyler is scheduled to complete the suspended game along with the remaining games of the series.