? Box score
NACOGDOCHES ? Senior Aimee Murray and sophomore Leanne Risberg both homered for the 13th time this season to help lead UTSA past Stephen F. Austin, 5-2, on Sunday in the rubber game of a three-game Southland Conference series at Hoya Field.
The win moves the Roadrunners to 24-25 overall and keeps them at no worse than second in the league standings ay 16-8 pending the Sam Houston State/Texas State Sunday outcome. The Ladyjacks fall to 19-29 and 12-12.
Murray went 1-for-3 with three runs batted in, while Risberg, junior Kourtney Jones and freshman Krista Sitka all collected two hits apiece.
Junior right-hander Janeille Nickels turned in her second strong appearance in the circle in as many days. She struck out three and allowed five runs on six hits in running her record to 12-10.
UTSA broke open a scoreless game in the top of the third. Freshman Rudi Cantu singled, sophomore Rachel Rackley drew a two-out walk and both scored on Murray’s blast to right center field that gave the Roadrunners a 3-0 lead.
The Roadrunners tacked on two runs in the fifth. Risberg led off the frame with a solo home run to center field. A single to center by Sitka loaded the bases for pinch hitter Mercedes Hessel, who drove in Jones with a ground ball fielder’s choice to shortstop.
The Ladyjacks scratched for a run in their half of the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Crystal Dahlquist and Kari Hugie.
SFA threatened in the bottom of the seventh, scoring its second run of the game on a single by Kendal Harper and bringing the tying run to the plate with two down. Nickels induced a pop-up on a bunt attempt to end the game.
Hugie and Harper led SFA with two hits each, while Hugie allowed five runs on eight hits to fall to 9-12 on the year.
The Roadrunners return home to host Sam Houston State next weekend.
