| March 26, 2006
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4551 Long ball leads UTSA to sweep of SFA Box Score
SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA softball team blasted six home runs in completing a weekend sweep of Stephen F. Austin with an 11-4 victory Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners improve to 16-8 overall and 10-2 in the Southland Conference, pulling into sole possession of second place and setting up a showdown next weekend with rival Texas State (8-1). The Ladyjacks fall to 9-18 and 1-8.
Junior Catherine Garza (right) led the UTSA home run parade with two long balls in going 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. Seniors Amanda Horton and Jessica Els and junior Aimee Murray all had three hits and a round-tripper, while freshman Leanne Risberg also went deep as the Roadrunners now have 52 home runs in 24 games.
SFA jumped on the board first with two runs in the top of the first inning on RBI-singles by Jessica Tullos and Tara Hersey.
UTSA answered in the bottom of the frame with solo bombs by Els and Horton to knot the score at 2-all.
The Roadrunners added to the lead with a three-run second. Junior Stevi Simpson led off with a single through the left side of the infield and scored on a two-run blast by Garza. Risberg followed with a solo shot to make it 5-2.
Senior Stacey Gillespie doubled home Murray and Horton came home on a double play ground ball to make it 7-2 after three.
A two-run homer by Hersey to start the fourth pulled the Ladyjacks to within three runs, but sophomore Amanda Nikolenko came on in relief and held SFA scoreless the rest of the way to improve to 10-4 on the year.
Murray drilled a two-run shot that plated Els to push the lead back to five and Garza, who batted .625 in the series, added her third home run of the season in the fifth to make it 10-4. Els scored on a Gillespie sacrifice fly in the sixth for the final run.
The Roadrunners host Texas State in a huge series between the top two teams in the SLC standings next weekend at Roadrunner Field. First pitch of a Saturday doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 1.
|
