· Game 1 box score
· Game 2 box score
| Junior Danye Holmes three-run, walk-off home run in Wednesday's nightcap pushed UTSA's winning streak to a season-long four games. |
SAN ANTONIO — Junior Danye Holmes launched a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to propel UTSA to a 5-2 victory against Houston Baptist and complete a doubleheader sweep of the Huskies on a wet Wednesday afternoon at Roadrunner Field. Senior Rudi Cantu and sophomore Caitlyn Ivy had three hits apiece to pace the Roadrunners to an 8-0 six-inning, run-ruling in the lid-lifter.
UTSA extended its winning streak to a season-long four games and improved to 16-25 overall, while HBU fell to 14-22.
Locked in a 2-2 stalemate, Cantu reached on an error by the third baseman to start the decisive seventh. Ivy then drew a walk to set the stage for Holmes. The Sugar Land native launched a mammoth blast deep over the right center field fence to lift UTSA to victory, finishing off a 3-for-4, three-RBI day at the plate.
Junior Emily Humpal (9-12) earned her second victory of the day, striking out three and surrendering just two hits in a pair of scoreless frames in relief of sophomore starter Morgan Luksa, who struck out three and allowed one earned run on seven hits in five panels.
HBU pushed a run across in the top of the first on an RBI single to right field by Mollye Mlcak, but UTSA responded with a run in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run off the scoreboard in left center by Ivy, her Southland Conference-leading 12th long ball of the season.
UTSA took a 2-1 lead in the third, as Cantu led off with a bunt single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of sophomore Ashley Kappler.
In the fourth, the Huskies knotted the score with the benefit of a passed ball on a third strike to Jaymie Heibel. After advancing to third on a bunt single by Kaitlin Southerland, she came home on a bunt single by Mac Christensen.
Kristi Malpass led HBU at the plate by going 2-for-4, while Beth Evans (3-7) took the loss in the circle, giving up four earned runs on five hits in six-plus frames.
In the opener, Cantu and Ivy had three hits each, while Kappler and seniors Krista Sitka and Chelsey Chapman collected two base knocks apiece to lead the 14-hit output, which tied the team’s season high set against Southeastern Louisiana on April 2.
Meanwhile, Humpal picked up the win in the circle, striking out nine batters in the three-hit shutout.
UTSA scratched for a run in the bottom of the first, as Cantu beat out a ground ball back to the pitcher, moved to second on a base hit to center by Ivy and scored on a single to center by Holmes.
HBU loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third, but Humpal worked out of the jam with three strikeouts.
The Roadrunners tacked on two runs in the bottom of the panel on a home run to left field by Ashley Kappler, her fourth in the last three games and fifth of the season.
UTSA broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning. Humpal reached on a one-out single up the middle and senior pinch runner Kelly Cato moved to second on a bunt single by Chapman. Cantu then sent a the first pitch over the right-field fence for her fourth career home run, all coming this season.
An RBI single by Sitka plated Ivy, who reached on a single, and a bases-loaded error off the bat of sophomore Laura Little pushed senior pinch runner Kim Gonzales across and put the eight-run rule into effect.
Jammie Weidert took the loss for the Huskies, allowing six earned runs on 14 hits in 5.1 frames to fall to 5-6.
The Roadrunners hit the road for a three-game Southland Conference series against Nicholls this weekend. First pitch in a Saturday doubleheader is set for 1 p.m., followed by a single game at noon Sunday.