· Box score
EDINBURG – Junior Marshal Davis' double play grounder to short brought home pinch runner Greg Sillivent in the bottom of the eighth inning and freshman Zach Calhoon pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth, as UTSA rallied for a 6-5 victory against Stephen F. Austin in the first game of the Al Ogletree Classic on Friday afternoon.
The Roadrunners improved to 4-7 with their third consecutive win and fourth victory in their last five games, while Stephen F. Austin (6-9) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.
Junior Josh Wilson led off the eighth with a single through the left side and then was replaced Sillivent, who took off on the next pitch and easily stole second when catcher Kevin Croft couldn’t handle Kevin Thomas’ offering. Juniors Zach Etheredge and Phillip Allen followed with a walk and hit by pitch, respectively, which loaded the bases. Sillivent came home with the game winner when Davis hit a sharp grounder to Jeff Brewer, who stepped on second and threw to first to complete the twin-killing.
The Lumberjacks loaded the bases in the ninth, but Calhoon – who relieved junior J.T. Mackey with runners on second and third and just one out – walked the first hitter he faced to load the bases. The right-hander then struck out the next two hitters to earn his second save of the season.
Mackey (1-1) collected his first victory of the year by tossing two scoreless in relief of starter Josh Ruffin, who allowed five runs in 6.1 innings of work.
Thomas (0-2) picked up the loss, allowing the winning run on one hit and a walk in his 1.1 innings of work. Left-handed starter Lance Luetge, who entered the contest with a 3-1 record and 1.74 ERA, allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out four in his five-plus innings.
UTSA rapped out a dozen hits on the day, including four doubles, and the top of the order led the offensive onslaught. The Roadrunners’ 1-2-3 hitters – Davis (2-for-5) and sophomores James Keithley (3-for-5) and Michael Rockett (2-for-3) – went a combined 7-for-13 with two doubles and four runs scored. Junior Trent Lockwood was 1-for-2 with a walk and a pair of RBIs.
The Lumberjacks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third off Ruffin. Noel Trevino got the action started with a one-out single to center field and stole second with two down in the inning. Ruffin then threw ball four in the dirt to Jared Pitts and that allowed Trevino to advance to third. Kevin Crabtree followed with an RBI double to left and, after a walk to Jeremy Arterburn, Justin Long stroked a base hit up the middle that plated Pitts and Crabtree.
The Roadrunners answered with a two spot in the bottom of the frame. Davis and Keithley started the inning with back-to-back singles off Luetge. After the pair moved up on a passed ball by Croft, Rockett followed with a sacrifice fly to center to drive home Davis. Two hitters later, senior Ryan Saltzgaber stroked a single up the middle that brought Keithley across the plate and draw UTSA within one.
UTSA tied the game in the fifth when Keithley led off with a double, moved to third on a Rockett ground out to short and scored on junior Lockwood’s sacrifice fly to right.
With the game tied at three in the sixth, redshirt freshman Tim Palincsar hit a leadoff double down the right-field line off Luetge. SFA head coach Donnie Watson then brought Richard Folmer in from the bullpen and, after a Wilson ground out moved Palincsar to third, Etheredge’s double to left brought him home with the go-ahead run.
SFA recaptured the lead with two runs in the seventh off Ruffin, but the Roadrunners tied it up when Lockwood followed a Rockett one-out double down the left-field line with a sharp single through the right side.
The Roadrunners continue tournament play on Saturday when they face Sam Houston State (8-5). First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Edinburg Stadium.
