CLEARWATER, Fla. – UTSA’s James Taussig’s 2-run RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning propelled No. 1 to a 4-2 win over No. 8 Rice, Tuesday afternoon, May 20, at the 2025 American Baseball Championship presented by Regions at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.
With the win, the Roadrunners (43-11) will play against Tulane in the winners bracket on Thursday, May 22 at 1 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+. Rice will play in an elimination game on Wednesday, May 21 at 1 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+ against Florida Atlantic.
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Taussig stepped up after a hit-by-pitch and a walk and drove a double to right-center field, scoring Caden Miller and Mason Lytle. Norris McClure singled home Taussig two batters later for an insurance run for the Roadrunners.
Lytle, The American Player of the Year, hit a solo home run to left to give the Roadrunners the lead, but Rice fought back with runs in the fifth and sixth innings, including an RBI single by Paul Smith.
After Braylon Owens struck out 11 in 5.2 innings while giving up two runs (one earned), Robert Orloski (8-0) came on and pitched 3.1 innings without giving up a hit to earn the win. Davion Hickson fell to 2-7 on the year after allowing four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work.
2025 American Baseball Championship presented by Regions
BayCare Ballpark | Clearwater, Fla.
Tuesday, May 20
Game 1: No. 5 Tulane 6, No. 4 Florida Atlantic 3 |
Box Score |
Highlights
Game 2: No. 1 UTSA 4, No. 8 Rice 2 |
Box Score |
Highlights
Game 3: No. 7 Wichita State vs. No. 2 Charlotte | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 4: No. 6 East Carolina vs. No. 3 South Florida | 47 minutes after Game 3 | ESPN+
Wednesday, May 21
Game 5: No. 8 Rice vs. No. 4 Florida Atlantic | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 6: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 | 47 minutes after Game 5 | ESPN+
Thursday, May 22
Game 7: No. 5 Tulane vs. No. 1 UTSA | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 8: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 47 minutes after Game 7 | ESPN+
Friday, May 23
Game 9: Loser of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 5 | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 10: Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 6 | 47 minutes after Game 9 | ESPN+
Saturday, May 24
Game 11: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Game 12: Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 47 minutes after Game 11 | ESPN+
Game 13: Loser of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 11 | TBD (if necessary) | ESPN+
Game 14: Loser of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 12 | TBD (if necessary) | ESPN+
Sunday, May 25
Game 15: Semifinal Winners | Noon | ESPNEWS
All times listed are Eastern.