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BOISE, Idaho — UTSA rallied for runs in the final inning of both of itsgames on Friday, but the Roadrunners fell short each time in dropping a 6-1 decision to Seattle beforea 5-3 setback to Boise State at the SpringHill Suites Invitational.
Senior Nikki Goff had three hits and scored a run to leadthe Roadrunners (10-16), while freshman Courtney Buchman had a pair of hits andthree walks to go along with two runs.
After three scoreless innings in the opener, the Redhawks(7-14) broke through against junior starter Haylee Staton in the fourth.
Singlesby Lisa Maulden and Brianna Guererro started the frame, but Staton retired thenext two hitters and had a 0-2 count on opposing pitcher Mandie Sugita.However, Sugita launched Staton's subsequent offering over the fence in left centerfor a 3-0 lead.
Maulden later added a three-run homer of her own an inninglater to push the advantage to 6-0.
Down to their final three outs in the seventh, UTSA scored a run with two out, but it was not enough.
Buchman led off thepanel with a single up the middle and she quickly moved second on a passed ball. After twoouts and a walk, freshman Megan Low delivered a run-scoring hit up the middlefor her team-leading 19th RBI of the spring.
That was all the Roadrunners got against Sugita (2-4), who allowed six hits andwalked three in the complete-game effort.
Meanwhile, Staton (7-4) was charged with the loss after giving up six runs. The Austinnative recorded six strikeouts, including a stretch in which she retired fiveconsecutive Seattle batters on strikes.
UTSA once again saw its opponent gainan early advantage thanks to the long ball.
Tara Glover led off the game for BoiseState (21-10) with a solo homer to left off starter Morgan Luksa. Four batterslater, Allie Crump made it 4-0 with a three-run bomb to left center to chase Luksa from the contest.
The score remained at 4-0 until the fifth,when Devon Bridges led off the frame with a solo blast against reliever KatyAkins.
Again down to its final three outs UTSA responded.
Goffstarted the inning with a walk against reliever Kenzie Cole before a single bypinch-hitter Samantha Beeson. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base and Goff camearound to score on a throwing error by shortstop Mackenzie Whyte to make it5-1.
Starter Aubray Zell came back into the contest and got apair of groundouts, the second of which plated Beeson and moved Buchman tothird. Senior Ashley Kappler delivered a two-out, run-scoring double tocenter that brought UTSA to within two at 5-3, but Zell got sophomore Molly Fichtner to ground outto end the contest and extend the Broncos' home winning streak to 21 games, which is thethird-longest streak in the nation.
Zell (13-6) racked up eight strikeouts, whileLuksa (1-4) surrendered four runs in just a third of an inning.
The Roadrunners will continue tournament play on Saturday when they face Seattle again at 1 p.m. (CT) and WeberState (9-14) two hours later.