· Game 1 box score
· Game 2 box score
SAN ANTONIO — UTSA hit six home runs and junior pitchers Amanda Nikolenko and Janeille Nickels hurled complete games as the Roadrunners swept a Southland Conference doubleheader from Central Arkansas, 10-1 and 7-2, on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA improves to 15-16 overall and 9-2 in the league, extending its conference winning streak to six games. UCA falls to 8-18 and 0-8.
The Roadrunners launched six home runs by six different players in the twinbill, part of 17 run on 24 hits against UCA pitching.
Nikolenko overcame a shaky first inning in game one, striking out three and allowing one run on four hits. She moved to 5-1 in the league and 9-10 overall with her 12th complete game of the year.
Nickels picked up the win in game two, recording a season high seven strikeouts and allowing two runs on nine hits with her seventh complete game of the year.
The Roadrunners pounded out 14 hits in game one, getting three from junior Kim Chavez, two each from seniors Jessica Rogers and Catherine Garza, junior Kourtney Jones and sophomore Leanne Risberg. Murray, who finished with four RBIs, Risberg and Chavez all went yard.
UCA jumped on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning. Amy Sperle led off with a single to center and moved to second on a bloop bunt single on the left side of the infield. Janae Owens drove in Sperle with a one-out double to left to put the Bears up, 1-0.
The Roadrunners struck for two in the third on Chavez’ first home run of the season, a two-run shot down the left field line that scored redshirt freshman Kelly Cato, who reached on an error.
UTSA tacked on a run in the fourth behind another UCA error. Risberg singled to left and senior Catherine Garza singled up the middle to put runners at first and second with one out. Cato then flied out to deep center field, advancing Risberg to third, who scored when the throw hit her in the back and got away near the Roadrunners dugout.
Murray lifted a high fly ball to center in the fifth that just sailed past the fence for her sixth homer of the season, scoring Jones and Rogers, who both reached on base hits.
The Roadrunners put the mercy rule into effect in the sixth, scoring four runs on three hits. Junior Lindsay Perry led off with a bunt single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jones and advanced to third on a Rogers single to short left field. Murray pushed Perry home on a sac fly to center and Risberg ended the game on a home run to left center.
Nikolenko settled down after the first, retiring nine straight batters at one point. She allowed just a hit batter in the fourth and a single to Sarah Garcia in the sixth the rest of the way.
Lyndsey Harris (3-7) took the loss, allowing eight earned runs on 14 hits.
Perry and Rogers, who launched her seventh long ball of the season, had two hits apiece in game two, while Jones hit her first and Garza slugged her third.
UTSA took a 2-0 lead after one, scoring a pair of unearned runs on two hits and an error. Jones walked, moved to third on a Rogers two-bagger and scored on a dropped fly ball by the catcher, while Risberg had a sacrifice fly that plated Rogers.
The Roadrunners hit all three homers in the fifth. Jones led off with a shot to left field, while Rogers made it back-to-back with a blast off the top of the hitting facility beyond the left field fence. Garza followed a single by freshman Krista Sitka with a round-tripper to center field to put UTSA up, 6-0.
Risberg registered her second sac fly of the game to score Rogers, who reached on a fielder’s choice, to make it 7-0 after six innings.
UCA threatened in the seventh as Sperle tripled to center and following a short single by Garcia to center, scored on a double to center by Brittany Bearden. Owens lifted a fly ball to right to score Garcia, but Nickels worked out of the jam with an unconventional double play off the bat of Keatha Tollett, shortstop to first base to catcher to end the game.
Tiffany Swanson (2-6) took the loss, giving up six runs (four earned) on eight hits.
Game three is set for noon Sunday.
