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SAN ANTONIO — UTSA scored six runs in the first inning and held on for a 6-5 victory against Northwestern State on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (12-18, 2-3 SLC) scored all their runs on a half dozen hits in the opening frame and they won itheir 11th consecutive home game dating back to last season.
Samantha Roberts hit a grand slam as part of a five-run third inning for the Lady Demons (13-20, 2-5 SLC), but they were shut out the rest of the way.
Each of the first seven batters reached base in the bottom of the first for UTSA. Senior Ashley Kappler opened the game with a double off the base of the fence in left and she came around to score on sophomore Molly Fichtner’s single to left. A two-bagger off the fence in center by freshman Megan Low put runners on second and third before Fichtner crossed home on a wild pitch. A walk to senior Caitlin Ivy and run-scoring single by classmate Nikki Goff pushed the lead to 3-0 and chased starter Kelee Grimes before she was able to record an out. Reliever Brooke Boening closed out the inning but not before surrendering RBI hits to freshmen Courtney Buchman and Geena Garcia.
The lead appeared safe, as UTSA starter Haylee Staton allowed just one hit through the first two frames before running into trouble in the third.
The Austin native hit leadoff batter Brittany Virgoe before a single and walk loaded the bases. Reliever Alyssa Vordenbaum came in from the bullpen to strike out Blair Beard and she recorded the second out of the stanza when Virgoe tried to score on a pitch that got away from Low behind the plate. The Spring native quickly chased down the ball and tossed it Vordenbaum for the out. Kylie Roos picked up an RBI on a walk before Roberts took Vordenbaum’s 1-2 pitch over the fence in right center to pull Northwestern State to within a run at 6-5.
The Lady Demons threatened again in the fourth when pinch runner Shenequia Abby stood on third with two down, but Vordenbaum got Tara McKenney to pop up for the final out.
McKenney’s two-out double in the seventh provided Northwestern State with one last chance, but Luksa got Beard to ground out to seal her third win of the season.
The League City native allowed just two hits and struck out a pair in three innings to improve to 3-5, while Grimes fell to 6-8 after surrendering four runs on four hits and a walk.
Northwestern State reliever Sara Aasness tossed five no-hit innings and walked four.
The Roadrunners will try to sweep the season series when the two teams meet at noon on Saturday.