· Game 1 box score
· Game 2 box score
| Senior Rudi Cantu swiped two bases on Saturday and now is tied for the program's career lead. |
SAN ANTONIO – Senior Rudi Cantu went 3-for-4 and tied the UTSA career stolen bases record to help the Roadrunners defeat Stephen F. Austin, 6-3, in game two of a Southland Conference doubleheader on Saturday. The Ladyjacks won the opener, 3-1, behind a three-run home run from Amber Price.
With the split, UTSA improved to 7-12 overall and 3-2 in conference play, while SFA moved to 8-7 and 4-1.
Cantu stole a pair of bases in the twinbill to give her 11 on the season and she now has matched Shannon Steadman’s record of 48 steals set from 1993-96. It also marks the second career record the Alvin native has tied this week, as she equaled Steadman’s triples mark with her seventh in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi series finale on Wednesday.
Cantu’s three hits in the nightcap included a double, as she led a 12-hit output by the Roadrunners off a pair of SFA pitchers. Juniors Emily Humpal and Kristin Kappler collected two hits apiece, while five other Roadrunners had a hit each.
Humpal earned the win in the circle to run her record to 4-4 on the year. The reigning Southland Pitcher of the Week struck out six and allowed three runs on 11 hits in a complete game.
SFA struck first with a run in the top of the first after a leadoff triple by Kendal Harper and a run-scoring double to left center field by Briana Bishop.
UTSA answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Cantu and sophomore Ashley Kappler got things going with back-to-back singles and both moved up a base on a passed ball with one out and Kristin Kappler at the plate. Kristin Kappler chopped a ground ball to the shortstop, who threw home to try to get Cantu. She easily scored and Ashley Kappler came around when the ball got away from the catcher.
The Roadrunners tacked on another run in the second as Humpal singled and later scored on a two-out error by the shortstop.
The Ladyjacks knotted the score at 3-all in the top of the third, as Bishop went yard over the left-field fence with Harper on base after a single.
UTSA took the lead for good in the fifth. Sophomore Nikki Goff singled and stole second with two outs to get into scoring position. Senior Kelly Cato then drove her in with a base hit. Cantu followed with a double to left field to drive in Cato and give the Roadrunners a two-run cushion.
The Runners tacked on another insurance run in the next panel on an RBI double down the left-field line by junior Emily Blackburn.
Angela White (5-3) allowed three earned runs (five total) on 10 hits in 4.2 innings of work in the loss. Bishop led the Ladyjacks at the plate with a 4-for-4, three-RBI performance.
In the opener, Monika Covington struck out 11 and limited the Roadrunners to three hits, while Price slugged a three-run home run to help lift the Ladyjacks to a 3-1 victory.
In the decisive fifth inning, Kayla Gutowski led off with a triple to right field but was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third on a ground ball to third base by Ashley Schruchtemeyer. Price followed a walk with a home run over the center-field wall to put the Ladyjacks up, 3-1.
UTSA jumped on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first. Cantu led off with a base hit to center field, stole second to move to within one of Steadman’s UTSA career record and scored on a double to left center by sophomore Caitlyn Ivy.
The Roadrunners would manage just one hit the rest of the way, a single by Blackburn in the fourth.
Junior Danyé Holmes (2-4) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on just two hits in a full seven panels of work.
Game three is set for noon Sunday at Roadrunner Field.