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SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA swept a doubleheader from McNeese State by scores of 7-3 and 12-0 on Saturday at Roadrunner Field. The three-game Southland Conference series concludes at noon on Sunday.
| Freshman Danye Holmes struck out a career-high 13, one shy of a school record, and clubbed a pair of home runs in Saturday's first game. | |
Game 1: Holmes leads UTSA past McNeese State, 7-3
Freshman Danye Holmes struck out a season-high 13 and went 3-for-3 with two home runs and four RBIs to help lead UTSA past McNeese State, 7-3, in game one of a Southland Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
Holmes scattered seven hits and allowed just three runs in her second complete-game victory of the week to improve to 3-3 on the season. The left-hander came within one strikeout of matching Ursula Mares’ single-game record of 14 strikeouts set against Albany on Feb. 25, 2005. Four of the seven hits against Holmes were bunt singles, while eight of the first nine outs recorded by the Roadrunners (6-8, 2-2 SLC) were strikeouts.
At the plate, Holmes slugged her first two home runs of the season and added a double in leading an 11-hit output for the Roadrunners. Sophomore Rudi Cantu was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to extend her hitting streak to seven games, while senior Kourtney Jones and freshman Whitney Balch collected two hits apiece.
The Cowgirls (7-14, 2-2 SLC) played small ball in the top of the first to grab a 2-0 lead. Back-to-back bunts by Lindsey Langner and Jenny Clay set the table for Michelle LaVoie, who doubled off the fence in center field to plate the first run. Molly Guidry then grounded a ball back to the pitcher, but the throw home was not in time to get Clay.
UTSA answered with a run in the bottom of the frame, as Cantu led off with a single, moved to third on a throwing error by the shortstop off the bat of junior Leanne Risberg and scored on a sac fly to left by sophomore Krista Sitka.
Holmes gave the Roadrunners a 3-2 lead with her first home run of the year in the third, a line drive shot down the right field line that scored Risberg, who singled. A two-out triple over the right fielder’s head by Cantu in the fourth plated Jones, who reached on a single, and increased the lead to 4-2.
Holmes went yard again in the fifth, this time a solo line drive that barely had enough height to clear the fence in right center. UTSA tacked on two runs in the sixth, as Jones singled to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an infield single and throwing error off the bat of Cantu. Holmes followed a flyout with a double to center to send home Cantu and increase the lead to 7-2.
McNeese struck for one run in the seventh on a two-out, RBI-double by Clay, but Holmes ended the threat with a fly ball to center field.
Langner went 4-for-4 to lead McNeese at the plate, while LaVoie allowed five earned runs on nine hits in falling to 5-6 on the season.
| Senior Janeille Nickels (left) and freshman Whitney Balch led the Roadrunners in the Saturday's nightcap. | |
Game 2: UTSA blasts McNeese State, 12-0, to sweep twinbill
Senior Janeille Nickels tossed her first shutout of the season and
freshman Whitney Balch went 4-for-4 with four RBIs, as UTSA blasted
McNeese State, 12-0, to sweep a Southland Conference doubleheader on
Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
Nickels struck out four and allowed just three hits in pushing her
record to 2-2 on the season, as the Roadrunners moved to 7-8 overall
and 3-2 in league play with the victory.
Balch’s perfect performance at the plate included her team-leading
fourth home run of the season, one of three in the game for UTSA.
Sophomore Mercedes Hessel went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while
junior Leanne Risberg and sophomore Rudi Cantu had two hits apiece.
UTSA’s bats combined for 19 runs on 26 hits, including nine extra base
hits, in the doubleheader. The arms teamed up to limit the Cowgirls to
three runs on 10 hits, striking out 17 batters on the afternoon.
The Roadrunners quickly grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Cantu led off with base hit up the middle to push her hitting streak to
eight games and Risberg followed with a seeing-eye single down the
right field line. A walk to freshman Danye Holmes loaded the bases for
sophomore Krista Sitka, who drew a free pass to push across the first
run. RBI singles by Balch and Hessel drove in two more runners.
Two-run blasts by Risberg and Kappler in the bottom of the second
pushed the lead to 7-0 and chased McNeese starter Candace Duhon. Hessel
greeted reliever Katie Shumaker with a double down the left field line
and came home on a bloop single to left by sophomore Brittany Bell to
make it 8-0.
Balch launched a three-run homer over the left field fence in the third
to push the lead to 11-0. Cantu doubled and scored on a single by
Holmes in the fourth to make it 12-0.
Meanwhile, Nickels cruised in the circle, allowing just three base runners in her first shutout of the season.
Duhon gave up seven runs on seven hits in one and two-thirds innings in
falling to 2-2 on the season. Lindsey Langner, Holly Long and Tiffany
Ritchie collected a hit apiece for the Cowgirls.