| Senior All-American Michael Rockett went 3-for-4 with a double, homer and three RBIs on Friday night. |
SAN ANTONIO ?Northwestern State plated two runs off UTSA closer Zach Calhoon in the ninth and pushed across the game-winning run an inning later for a 9-8 come-from-behind victory on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
The Demons, who entered the contest having lost three of their last four contests, improved to 15-15 overall and 9-7 in Southland Conference play with the win, while UTSA saw its season ledger drop to 18-16 (9-8 SLC).
After the Birds plated five runs in the seventh to take what appeared to be a commanding 8-5 advantage, Northwestern State scored a run in the following stanza to pull within a pair.
Calhoon was called in from the bullpen to protect the lead in the ninth, but the Demons got a leadoff infield single from Trent Grondin that ricocheted off the leg of UTSA's hurler to get the rally started. A walk to Justin O'Neal two batters later put the tying run on base and Chase Lyles followed an RBI bloop double that landed just inside the right-field line. Dan Meyer's grounder to second brought home O'Neal with the tying run and, after Chad Sheppard got out of the bottom of the frame with no damage done, the contest went to extra innings.
Northwestern State took little time in putting the pressure back on Calhoon and the Roadrunners, as Miles Parsons led off the stanza with a walk. Colin Bear then hit a chopper that sophomore second baseman Ryan Hutson could not handle and that allowed Parsons to move up to third base. A fielder's choice up the middle by Grondin plated the Demons' backup catcher with the game-winning tally.
Sheppard (3-0) then retired UTSA in order in the bottom of the frame to finish off the come-from-behind triumph. He struck out three in his two scoreless innings.
Calhoon (3-3), who allowed three runs (two earned) on a pair of hits and three walks, was tagged with the loss after blowing his fifth save in nine chances this spring.
It was a promising start for the Roadrunners, as sophomore Tyler Carpenter and senior All-American Michael Rockett both went deep in the first to put UTSA in front, 2-0.
After Northwestern State pushed across single runs in the second and third to tie the contest, senior Jose Hernandez' run-scoring single off the third-base bag in the third allowed Carpenter, who walked to start the stanza, to cross the plate with the go-ahead run.
The Demons went back in front two innings later on Lyle's double to left center that brought home three, but UTSA responded with five runs of its own following the seventh-inning stretch, including Rockett's two-run double that tied the game at five and senior Aaron Powell's RBI grounder to third that put the Birds back in front, but it wasn't enough.
Rockett finished the night 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while junior Lance Brown and Hernandez both added a pair of hits.
Grondin went 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI, while Lyles had two hits and drove home four to lead Northwestern.
UTSA right-hander starter Clay Schrader went seven panels, allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks, while fanning a career-best nine.
Meanwhile, Northwestern State starter Jimmy Heard was effectively wild in his six innings of work. Heard surrendered three runs on a half dozen hits and five walks, but he struck out seven.
The rubber game of the series will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Freshman southpaw Casey Selsor (4-2, 7.89 ERA) will oppose Demons righty Ryan Zimmerman (0-1, 4.81).