? Box score
? Trent Lockwood's home run call as heard on goUTSA.com (1.2 MB)
? Zach Calhoon's final out as heard on goUTSA.com (2.1 MB)
| |
| Senior Trent Lockwood hit his 12th homer of the year and added a pair of RBIs on Friday night. |
SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA exploded for eight runs in the third inning after falling behind 5-1 and the Roadrunners held on for a 13-10 victory against Nicholls State on Friday night at Roadrunner Field. It was the team's 10th win in its last dozen games.
UTSA, which improved to 35-14 overall and a Southland Conference-best 19-6 in league play, won for the seventh consecutive time at the Bird Bath and the 15th time in the last 16 games overall at its on-campus facility. The Birds now have won 16 games in each of the last three seasons at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA also reduced its magic number to four in the chase for its second consecutive regular season conference championship. Lamar defeated Northwestern State, 9-2, in Natchitoches and the Cardinals remain two games back in the overall league standings at 17-8. Meanwhile, UTSA maintained its three-game advantage over Sam Houston State (16-9), which posted a 9-4 victory at Southeastern Louisiana, in the SLC's West Division.
Junior shortstop James Keithley went 2-for-4 with two doubles ? both of which came in the third frame ? three runs scored and three RBIs. Senior first baseman Trent Lockwood hit his team-leading 12th home run of the year to lead off the fourth and freshman right fielder Tyler Carpenter added his third of the season to start the sixth. Freshman second baseman Ryan Hutson, sophomore third baseman RyanRummel and junior left fielder Aaron Powell each had two hits forthe Roadrunners.
Sophomore right-hander Ryan Proudfoot (7-2), making just his second relief appearance of the year, allowed four runs in 3.2 innings and was credited with the victory. Sophomore closer Zach Calhoon came on with a runner on first and nobody out in the ninth and he recorded back-to-back strikeouts before getting Zac Bone to foul out to senior catcher Zach Etheredge to preserve the three-run victory. Calhoon now has a league-best 11 saves this season, which ranks among the top 15 nationally.
The Roadrunners scored first for the sixth game in a row when junior center fielder Michael Rockett brought home Keithley with a sacrifice fly to center in the opening inning.
However, the Colonels (9-40, 4-21 SLC) responded with four two-out runs on just two hits off UTSA starter Steven Vasquez one frame later. Nicholls State plated another two-out tally in the third when Anthony Wray singled, moved to second on a balk and came home on a pair of wild pitches by Vasquez.
The Roadrunners then erupted for an eight spot on seven hits and two costly Colonels errors to take a 9-5 lead. The big hits of the inning were a two-run triple by Etheredge and a double by Keithley that brought home a pair, both of which came with two down.
UTSA pushed the advantage to eight with single runs in the fourth and fifth and a pair in the sixth, but Nicholls fought back with four of its own in the seventh and the Colonels pulled within three with a run in the eighth, but that would be the closest they would get the rest of the way.
Nicholls State starter Jake Parrish (1-5) surrendered 11 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits and he walked four in five innings. He was done in by a defense that committed five errors on the night. Jacob Sullivan went the final three frames, allowing a pair of runs on two hits.
Anthony Wray was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Jordy Toups went 2-for-5 with a two-bagger and four RBIs to lead the Colonels.
The series continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Senior right-hander Bradley Chovanec (7-3, 4.88 ERA) will make his final home start in navy blue and orange and hewill square off against righty Bryan Myers (2-4, 5.56).