| April 26, 2006
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4551 Els’ homer gives UTSA 4-3 victory at Texas Tech, school-record win streak; Red Raiders take nightcap, 4-1 Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
LUBBOCK, Texas – Senior Jessica Els launched a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to propel the UTSA softball team to its school-record 14th straight win, a 4-3 decision in game one of a doubleheader at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders grabbed game two, 4-1, Wednesday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field.
The Roadrunners (30-12) led 1-0 in a pitcher’s duel thanks to an RBI-double to center field by Els in the top of the sixth inning. Texas Tech (19-32) answered in the bottom of the frame as Montana Patin unleashed a bases-loaded double to center to put the Red Raiders up, 3-1.
That set the stage for Els’ game-winner as she launched her 10th long ball of the season to plate junior Catherine Garza, who drew a leadoff walk, and senior Mel Torres, who kept the rally alive with a two-out single through the left side of the infield. Els finished game one 3-for-4 with all four RBI and a run scored. Torres also had three hits and scored two runs.
Sophomore Amanda Nikolenko struck out nine batters and allowed three runs on six hits in running her record to 19-5 on the year. Tech starter Erin Crawford was solid, fanning four and allowing one run on six hits in five and one-third innings. Sarah Losleben (1-7) was pinned with the loss after giving up three runs on two hits and a walk.
The 14-game winning streak is the longest in school history, bettering a 13-game stretch in April 2000. It also marked UTSA's third straight win against Big 12 Conference member Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders took the early lead in game two on a Whitney Riley RBI-single in the bottom of the first that scored Ashley Parker, who led off the game with a single to right. Texas Tech pushed the lead to 3-0 on a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth by Jennifer Bowers that scored Jennifer Corkin, who reached on a walk. Corkin singled home Riley, who was hit by a pitch, in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-0.
UTSA scratched in the sixth on a solo home run by junior Aimee Murray, her 10th of the season, but that was all the offense the Roadrunners could muster against Losleben, who struck out 10 and allowed one run on six hits in improving to 2-7. Junior Ursula Mares struck out four and allowed four runs on seven hits in falling to 9-7.
Junior Stevi Simpson went 3-for-3 to lead the Roadrunners in game two, but had her career-best 11-game hitting streak snapped in the opener.
UTSA returns home to host Texas-Arlington in a key three-game Southland Conference series this Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30. First pitch in game one of a Saturday doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. The Roadrunners are in second place at 19-5 behind Texas State (18-3), which plays at Louisiana-Monroe, and ahead of Texas-Arlington (16-6).
|
