| Freshman Danye Holmes fired an eight-hitter with six strikeouts on Wednesday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Freshman Danye Holmes struck out six in a complete-game eight-hitter and sophomore Krista Sitka went 2-for-3 with her third home run of the season, as UTSA downed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 6-1, on Wednesday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
Holmes tossed her first complete game of the season, allowing just one unearned run and two walks on eight hits in running her record to 2-3 on the year.
Sitka, meanwhile, crushed her third home run of the three-game Southland Conference series to lead an 11-hit attack by the UTSA offense. Junior Leanne Risberg went 3-for-4, while sophomore Chelsey Chapman was 2-for-2 in her first start of the season for the Roadrunners, who improved to 5-8 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Andrea Simancas collected three hits, while Amber Robinson had two to lead the Islanders (7-8, 2-1 SLC) at the plate.
UTSA struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning. A single by sophomore Rudi Cantu and a walk to Holmes set the table for Sitka, who launched her third home run in as many games, a three-run blast deep over the center field fence, to give UTSA a quick 3-0 lead.
The Roadrunners tacked on three unearned runs in the fourth. Risberg led off with a single to center field and moved to second on a one-out bloop single just inside the left field line by Sitka. An error by the shortstop off a sharply-hit ground ball by freshman Whitney Balch loaded the bases and sophomore Cassie Miller sent Risberg home with a sacrifice fly to center. Freshman Kristin Kappler followed with a double to the gap in left center to plate senior pinch runner Kim Chavez to push the lead to 5-0. Freshman Mercedes Hessel was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and senior pinch hitter Kourtney Jones drew a walk to force in the sixth run of the game.
A&M-Corpus Christi finally broke through for an unearned run in the top of the sixth. Robinson reached on a bunt single and moved all the way to third on a fielder’s choice as the relay throw to second base went into left field. Lauren Sanders legged out an infield single with two down to plate Robinson, while Kaylen Skinner was tagged out at second base on the play on a nice throw from the first baseman Sitka to end the frame.
Nicole Miller allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in one and two-thirds innings of work in falling to 4-4 on the season.
UTSA continues its seven-game home stand with a a three-game league series against McNeese State this weekend. The action gets underway with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and concludes Sunday with a noon tilt.