· Box score
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Senior Mitch Ponza’s second triple in as many days brought home the go-ahead runs with two outs in the top of the 12th and UTSA rallied from a pair of seven-run deficits for a 12-9 victory at McNeese State on Saturday in Southland Conference action.
The Roadrunners, who won for the fourth time in the last five games, improved to 8-10 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Cowboys lost their fifth game in a row and fell to 3-19 (0-2).
Junior Trent Lockwood, who tied the game at nine with his fourth home run of the season with one out in the ninth, led off the game-winning rally when he reached on a fielding error by second baseman Channing Kile to start the 12th. After McNeese State reliever Jonathan Conrad recorded back-to-back outs, junior Phillip Allen kept the inning alive with a single up the middle. Ponza followed with a triple to right center to bring home Lockwood and Allen and give the Roadrunners their first lead of the day. Junior Marshal Davis’ infield single to second brought home Ponza with an insurance run one batter later.
Junior J.T Mackey (4-1) earned the win with five scoreless innings out of the UTSA bullpen. The right-hander, who got out of a bases-loaded jam with nobody out in the eighth, scattered five hits and struck out three.
Conrad (0-3) picked up the loss, as he allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits in 4.2 innings, while striking out five.
Trailing 7-0 entering the seventh, junior Zach Etheredge launched a two-run home run off the left-field scoreboard, his first of the season, to get UTSA within five at 7-2. After the Cowboys responded with a pair of runs in their half of the inning to stretch the advantage back to seven (9-2), the Roadrunners began their comeback.
UTSA plated six runs on six hits in the eighth to get within one at 9-8 and Lockwood tied it up one inning later with a mammoth shot over the right-field wall.
The Roadrunners were able to overcome a season-high five errors with a season-best 14 hits, 11 of which came after the sixth inning. Etheredge had a career-high three in his six at bats, while Davis tied his career-high by going 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Lockwood was 2-for-6 with three runs scored and sophomore James Keithley tripled to lead off the eighth and extended his hitting streak to six games.
McNeese State starter Sam English held UTSA scoreless in his 5.2 innings of work. English allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out three before he was surprisingly removed with two down in the sixth.
UTSA starter Bradley Chovanec allowed five runs (one earned) on five hits in five-plus innings.
The Roadrunners will go for the three-game sweep at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Senior righty Blake Brannon (0-3, 9.43 ERA) will face Derek Blacksher (0-3, 6.16 ERA).
