| Sophomore Ryan Hutson went 3-for-4 with a double and his first home run of the year on Saturday. |
HUNTSVILLE ? Sophomores Tyler Carpenter and Ryan Hutson both had three hits and sophomore right-hander Kevin Clarke pitched three solid innings in relief to lead UTSA to a 10-6 victory at Sam Houston State on Saturday.
The Roadrunners, who scored in double figures for the ninth time this season (all wins), improved to 12-8 overall and 5-3 in Southland Conference play with their 11th regular season triumph in the last dozen matchups between the two teams.
UTSA jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first and, after the Bearkats cut the edge in half in the bottom of the frame, the Roadrunners exploded for three runs in each of the following two stanzas to take a 8-1 advantage and never looked back. The Birds went on to plate single runs in the fourth and fifth to complete their scoring.
Hutson was 3-for-4 with a double, his first home run of the season (a two-run shot in the third), two runs and a pair of RBIs. Carpenter, meanwhile, went 3-for-5 with two runs and he recorded his third consecutive three-hit contest (fourth in last six games). Junior Lance Brown reached base in four of his five plate appearances, added a pair of doubles and scored three times, while senior Jose Hernandez stroked his team-leading 10th double and eighth long ball of the season.
Clarke (1-1), a Hunstville native, picked up his first collegiate win after allowing a run on three hits and striking out three in three innings out of the UTSA bullpen. Roadrunners starter Kris Ruepke allowed four runs on a half dozen hits and walked three in 3.2 frames.
Sam Houston State starter Dallas Gallant (1-3) was tagged with the loss after surrendering 10 runs on 11 hits in 5.1 panels.
Four Bearkats had two hits on the day and Nick Zaleski had a pair of RBIs.
UTSA will go after its third sweep of the Bearkats in the last three seasons at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Freshman right-hander Clay Schrader 2-1, 4.00 ERA) will face Bearkats righty Brent Powers (0-0, 4.19).