| Sophomore Leanne Risberg launched a three-run homer to give UTSA a 3-2 victory on Sunday. |
SAN ANTONIO – Sophomore Leanne Risberg blasted a three-run home run in the fifth inning to push UTSA past Northwestern State, 3-2, on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
Risberg’s 10th homer of the season erased a 2-0 deficit for the Roadrunners, who move to 14-7 in the Southland Conference and 22-24 on the year with the series victory. The Demons fall to 22-27 and 12-12.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, freshman Krista Sitka was hit by a pitch and freshman Rudi Cantu reached on a bunt single to put runners at first and second with no outs. Risberg followed with a long shot over the center field fence to hand UTSA its first lead of the day.
Cantu led the Roadrunners with two hits and senior Jessica Rogers extended her hitting streak to 10 games with a single to short right field in the fifth.
Junior right-hander Amanda Nikolenko picked up her second win of the weekend in relief, tossing two and two-thirds scoreless innings to run her record to 12-14 on the year. Amanda Glenn, who pitched every inning for Northwestern State in the series, fanned six but allowed three runs on four hits in falling to 13-14. Glenn also had three hits to lead the Demons at the plate.
Glenn helped her own cause with a solo home run to center field – her 11th of the year - in the top of the third inning, staking the Demons to a 1-0 lead. Northwestern State tacked on another run in the fourth behind a hit and a two-base error. Michelle Castellano reached on a leadoff bad-hop single through the right side of the infield and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. She scored when the throw to first to retire Randi Stuard on a sacrifice bunt hit her and ended up in right field.
The Demons threatened in the fifth, loading the bases with one out to chase UTSA starter Janeille Nickels. Nikolenko worked out of the jam, as freshman Kelly Cato forced Castellano out at home and Stormi Stech was hit with the ball off the bat of Stuard running from first to second – which is a base hit for the batter but an out on the base runner - to end the inning.
UTSA faces Stephen F. Austin next weekend in Nacogdoches.