| Senior Lindsay Perry's two-out single brought home the game-winning run on Sunday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Senior Lindsay Perry stroked a two-run single to center field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to help lift UTSA past Southeastern Louisiana, 3-2, completing a Southland Conference sweep of the Lions on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners extended their winning streak against SLU to 16 games dating back 2003 in running their record to 12-11 overall and 8-4 in league play. The Lions fell to 17-9 and 6-6.
Perry, who was 2-for-3 on the afternoon, stepped to the plate with the bases-loaded and two down in the sixth inning, as UTSA faced a 2-1 deficit in the series finale. Freshman Danye Holmes drew a four-pitch walk to start the frame and senior pinch runner Kim Chavez moved to second on a single to left by sophomore Krista Sitka. Sophomore Mercedes Hessel followed a strikeout and a fly-out with a walk after fouling off numerous pitches, setting the table for Perry’s heroics. Chavez scored easily from third on the hit, but Sitka was called safe on a close play at the plate when the catcher was ruled for interference.
Sitka joined Perry with two hits, including her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Sophomore Rudi Cantu, freshman Kristin Kappler and Holmes also registered hits on the afternoon.
Meanwhile, senior Amanda Nikolenko was solid again in the circle, striking out seven and allowing just two runs on six hits in running her record to 5-5.
The Lions finally broke through against Nikolenko in the top of the fourth inning. Brooke Lockhart led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kelly Lyman and following a walk to Heather Sherrill, scored on a line drive double to the left-center field fence by Katie Duhe. The earned run snapped Nikolenko’s 20 and two-thirds innings streak without an earned run dating back to the UT Arlington series.
The Roadrunners quickly answered with Sitka’s solo blast to left center to lead off the bottom of the frame. Kappler followed with a triple down the right field line, but was stranded at third as Lions starter Rachel Ray got a strikeout, a foul out and a sharp line out to the third baseman off the bat of sophomore pinch hitter Kelly Cato.
Duhe struck again with a two-out homer over the scoreboard in left field to put SLU up, 2-1, in the sixth.
Ray fell to 8-5 with her second tough loss of the series, allowing three runs on seven hits. Duhe led the Lions at the plate with a 2-for-3, two-RBI showing.
The Roadrunners begin a five-game road trip with a doubleheader at North Texas on Wednesday.