| Senior Leanne Rosberg went 2-for-3 in her final game as a Roadrunner. |
LAKE CHARLES, La. ? Morgan Mikulin limited UTSA to one run on five hits and Sam Houston State eliminated the Roadrunners from the Southland Conference Tournament with a 4-1 victory Friday evening at Cowgirl Diamond.
The Bearkats (28-25) stay alive to play McNeese State for the right to face top seed Texas State in the championship on Saturday. The Roadrunners end their season at 29-29.
Mikulin picked up her second win of the day for Sam Houston, which ousted Stephen F. Austin in the first game Friday, 2-1. She struck out two and walked one, but received solid defensive play on 16 groundouts and retired the final 13 batters to run her record to 13-9.
Mikulin also went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead a seven-hit output by the Bearkats. Hailey Wiginton was also 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Alex Survant hit her third home run of the season.
The Bearkats plated an unearned run in the top of the first as Wiginton reached on a fielding error by the catcher, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Amy Brown and to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sac fly to center by Whitney Wilson.
Sam Houston increased its lead to 2-0 in the second as Casie Everitt singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sac bunt before coming home on another wild pitch.
UTSA put up a run in the bottom of the second.
Senior Leanne Risberg, who led the Roadrunners in her final game with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, singled through the left side to start the frame. Freshman Caitlyn Ivy followed with a base hit to right but Risberg was erased on a fielder’s choice to put runners at first and second with one down. Sophomore Kristin Kappler drew a walk to load the bases and junior Cassie Miller pushed the first run home on a groundout to shortstop. Mikulin got out of the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout.
Wiginton helped the Bearkats extend their advantage to 3-1 with a two-out double to right center that plated Kendra Spivey, who reached on a two-out infield single. Survant’s solo home run to center field in the sixth provided the final margin.