· Game 1 box score
· Game 2 box score
· Photo gallery
| Junior Kristin Kappler's suicide squeeze brought home senior Rudi Cantu (above) with the winning run in Saturday's opener. |
SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA softball team got back on the winning track with a doubleheader sweep of McNeese State, 4-3 and 10-6, in Southland Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
With the two victories, the Birds snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 9-17 overall and 5-6 in the league. UTSA also extended its winning streak against the Cowgirls at Roadrunner Field to nine games dating back to 2003. McNeese fell to 16-15 and 5-6.
Junior Kristin Kappler’s squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning helped lift UTSA to victory in the opener, while the Roadrunners plated nine runs in the fifth en route to a 10-6 decision in game two.
With game one knotted at three in the bottom of the seventh, Cantu got things going with a base hit just over the outstretched glove of the McNeese shortstop. She moved to second on a perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt by sophomore Ashley Kappler, her third of the game, and then to third on a sharp base hit through the left side of the infield by sophomore Caitlyn Ivy. Kristin Kappler then laid down a slow-rolling bunt in front of the third baseman on a 2-1 pitch and the throw home to try to get Cantu was not in time, lifting UTSA to its first win since March 6.
McNeese struck first with an unearned run in the top of the first. Claire Terracina singled to left, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and to third on an infield error. With the bases loaded and one out, Liz Morvant rolled a ground ball to second base to plate Terracina with the initial run.
UTSA answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the frame. Cantu reached on a bunt single, advanced to second on an Ashley Kappler sac bunt and to third on a passed ball. The Alvin native then scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1.
The Cowgirls took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a squeeze play, as Morvant, who doubled to right center to start the panel, scored from third on a bunt by Katie Shumaker.
Again, the Roadrunners responded in the bottom of the frame. Senior Krista Sitka, who reached on a fielder’s choice, came all the way around from first on a triple to the fence in right center by fellow senior Kelly Cato.
Senior Chelsey Chapman opened the fifth with a base hit to right center and Cantu reached on a fielder’s choice, as the throw from the pitcher was not in time to get Chapman at second. Ashley Kappler moved both runners over on another sacrifice bunt and Ivy came through with a clutch base hit to left just under the glove of Terracina to easily plate Chapman from third and give UTSA a 3-2 lead.
The Cowgirls tied the game in the sixth on an RBI single to center by Shumaker that plated Morvant, who singled and stole second.
Junior Emily Humpal picked up the win in relief, striking out four and allowing just one hit in 1.2 frames to run her record to 5-7. Sophomore Morgan Luksa surrendered two earned runs on five hits in 5.1 panels in the no-decision. Cantu and Ivy had two base knocks each to lead the eight-hit output.
Meagan Bond (9-4) took the loss for McNeese, striking out 10 but giving up three earned runs on eight hits. Morvant and Lindsey Langner led the offense with two hits apiece.
The Kappler sisters went a combined 5-for-7 with four RBIs in the nightcap to help the Roadrunners rally from a 4-1 deficit to score the four-run victory. Ashley was 3-for-4 with her fifth double of the season, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored, while Kristin was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
McNeese took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second on run-scoring singles by Whitney Corbello, Langner and Morvant.
UTSA got one run back in the fourth, as Ashley Kappler doubled down the left field line and scored on a two-out base hit to left center by Kristin Kappler.
The Cowgirls answered on a line-drive, solo home run to right field by Shumaker in the fifth to make it 4-1.
Then, the Roadrunners exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the frame. Ashley Kappler had a two-run single and Cato had her second triple of the day, a line drive into the right-field corner that cleared the bases to highlight the frame and give UTSA a 10-4 lead.
McNeese made things interesting in the top of the seventh, loading the bases behind singles from Shumaker, Heather Mosser and Dani Price. A walk to Marissa Koetting forced the fifth run of the game home and an infield single by Corbello made it 10-6 and brought the tying run to the plate. Humpal, on in relief of junior Danye Holmes, got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Holmes (3-6) picked up the win, striking out two and allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings. Humpal gave up two runs and struck out a pair in two frames of relief.
Kayla Shepherd fell to 1-5 after surrendering five runs on four hits in four-plus panels. Mosser had three hits to lead McNeese’s 12-hit performance, while Langner, Morvant, Shumaker and Corbello had two apiece.
UTSA will go for the sweep at noon on Sunday.