| May 7, 2005
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907 Mares strikes outs nine as UTSA eliminates Northwestern State, 4-1 Box Score
HAMMOND, La. – Sophomore pitcher Ursula Mares hurled a nine-strikeout, complete-game victory as the UTSA softball team eliminated Northwestern State, 4-1, in the Southland Conference Softball Tournament Saturday at North Oak Park.
With the win, the Roadrunners improve to 42-16 overall and advance to play Sam Houston State, a 2-1 winner over Texas State, on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The winner of that game earns a spot in the title game on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and must be defeated twice. The Demons end their season at 35-28.
One day after tossing a one-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory over McNeese State on Friday, Mares allowed just one unearned run on six hits while striking out nine against one walk and one hit batter in running her record to 21-7 on the season. The right-hander, who was the 2004 SLC Tournament MVP, has not allowed an earned run and has fanned 16 batters in 14 innings of work in the tournament.
Junior Amanda Horton went 2-for-3 with a run batted in to lead a UTSA offense that pounded out nine hits off two Northwestern State pitchers. Senior Jennifer Davis, junior Mel Torres and sophomore Aimee Murray also added RBI-singles as the Roadrunners did not hit a home run for the first time in seven games.
The Roadrunners broke open a scoreless tie with a three-run fourth inning. With one out, junior Jessica Rogers lifted a high fly ball to short left center field that was dropped by the center fielder for a two-base error. Murray then drilled the first pitch she saw from NSU starter Loni Rasberry down the left field line to plate Rogers with the icebreaker. Davis followed with a single through the right side of the infield to score Murray with the second run. Horton followed an Els single to right center with a sharp single to center field to push across Davis with the third run.
The Demons tallied one unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, pinch-hitter Jessica Thompson beat out a close ground ball at first base for an infield single and scored on a single and two-base error to left field by Sarina Noack.
UTSA added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as sophomore Catherine Garza had a pinch-hit single and junior Jenny Garcia, who re-entered on the bases, scored after a walk and a strange single by Torres that ricocheted off relief pitcher Amanda Glenn’s leg and the second basemen before rolling into center field.
Mares sat down the Demons in order in their final at-bat to secure the win. Rasberry gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits in falling to 17-11.
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