? Game 1 box score
? Game 2 box score
| Freshman Ashley Kappler had the game-winning hit in Saturday's opener. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Freshman Ashley Kappler singled home junior Rudi Cantu in the bottom of the fifth inning to help UTSA open a three-game Southland Conference series against Nicholls with a 3-2 win on Saturday at Roadrunner Field. Audrey Wood’s solo home run in the top of the eighth inning lifted the Colonels to a 2-1 victory in the nightcap.
With the split, the Roadrunners moved to 19-18 overall and 12-8 in league play, while the Colonels improved to 26-12 and 12-5.
With the score knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cantu reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second with two down in the frame. Kappler then lined a 1-2 pitch to center field to plate Cantu with what proved to be the winning run.
Nicholls jumped on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Whitney Roan led off the frame with a base hit through the left side of the infield. Roan reached second on an error off the bat of Megan Gaspard and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Kodi Butler then grounded a single up the middle to put the Colonels up, 2-0.
The Roadrunners responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Kristin Wehmeyer was hit by a pitch and junior Kelly Cato reached on a throwing error off her sacrifice bunt attempt to put runners at second and third with nobody down. Cantu drove in Wehmeyer from third on a base hit to left and Cato came home on another Colonels miscue, a throwing error by the catcher on a steal by Cantu.
Sophomore Emily Humpal (11-8) earned the win for the Roadrunners, striking out eight and allowing just one earned run on six hits in tossing her 13th complete game of the season.
Lacey Gros (12-8) fanned 12 batters and allowed just one earned run on three hits in the tough-luck loss. Danielle Clayton had two hits and Butler registered the two RBIs to lead the Colonels at the plate.
The nightcap evolved into the second pitcher’s duel of the afternoon.
After three scoreless columns, Nicholls broke through for the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly to right field by Logan Johnson that plated Wood, who led off the inning with a single up the middle.
Sophomore Kristin Kappler tied things up in the bottom of the fifth with her fourth home run of the season, a solo last to center field.
UTSA had an opportunity to break the stalemate in the bottom of the seventh, as a fielder’s choice by Cantu and an infield single by Ashley Kappler put runners at first and second with two down. Nicholls got out of the jam with a groundout.
Wood gave Nicholls the lead with her fourth long ball of the season, a two-out round-tripper to center field.
Gros, who came on in relief of Wood in the circle, retired the Roadrunners in order in the bottom of the eighth to secure the extra-inning victory for Nicholls. She ran her record to 13-8, allowing just one hit over 2.2 scoreless frames. Wood led the Colonels at the plate by going 2-for-2 with the game-winning homer.
Sophomore Dany? Holmes (6-7) struck out eight and allowed just two runs on five hits in the loss. Senior Leanne Risberg and junior Krista Sitka joined the Kappler sisters in the hit column with one apiece.
The rubber game is slated for noon Sunday.