· Box score
CORPUS CHRISTI — Freshman Krista Sitka hit a one-out, three-run homer in the sixth inning to help lift UTSA to a 4-3 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Southland Conference softball action on Wednesday afternoon at Islander Field.
With the win, the Roadrunners moved to 7-11 overall and took the league-opening series, two games to one. The Islanders fell to 4-14 and 1-2.
Trailing 2-1 in the top of the sixth inning, senior Jessica Rogers began the rally with a leadoff single up the middle. Junior pinch runner Kim Chavez advanced to second on a walk to sophomore Leanne Risberg, setting up Sitka’s blast to left field, her second long ball of the season.
The Islanders mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh as back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. An error on the infield allowed Amber Robinson to score from third, but junior pitcher Janeille Nickels worked out of the jam with a fly ball to left field and a ground out to first base to clinch the series.
A&M-Corpus Christi struck first with a run in the third on an RBI double to right center by Andrea Gonzalez that scored Andrea Simancas.
UTSA knotted the score in the fourth on a solo home run to right field by senior Aimee Murray, her first of the season.
The Islanders took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on an RBI-double by Simancas that plated Stephanie LaFerrara from second.
Nickels (3-3) picked up the win in relief, allowing a run on three hits. Jennifer Cummings, the game one winner, gave up four earned runs on five hits in falling to 4-9.
After 18 games away from the friendly confines of Roadrunner Field, UTSA hosts Texas-Arlington in its 2007 home-opening series this Saturday-Sunday, March 3-4. The three-game set begins with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
