NACOGDOCHES — UTSA pounded out 10 hits and scored two runs in the seventh to rally for a 4-3 victory at Stephen F. Austin on Sunday.
The Ladyjacks (6-20, 2-7 SLC) jumped ahead early with a pair of runs in the opening frame.
Bethany Brown and Lauren Luetge reached with some help from senior pitcher Emily Humpal on a hit by pitch and walk, respectively. Elizabeth Arana then followed with an RBI-single to left and Cadie Weaver made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Roadrunners (7-14, 5-4 SLC) had a chance to take the lead in the second, but they only managed to cut the deficit in half.
Senior Kristin Kappler led off the inning with a single before Angela White walked Humpal and senior Danye Holmes to load the bases. Sophomore Samanta Beeson’s sacrifice fly to left provided the only run to make it 2-1.
UTSA had another chance to put multiple runs on the scoreboard in the fourth but settled for a single mark to tie the game at two.
With pinch runner Morgan Luksa at third and Beeson on first, the sophomore stole second to draw a throw from catcher Charlotte Singleton. Second baseman Krista Hallmark couldn’t handle the throw and Luksa easily scored. Later in the frame, sophomore Haylee Staton tried to score from first on a double to left-center off the bat of senior Carrie Monroe, but she was cut down at the plate by a strong throw from Arana.
The Roadrunners took the lead for good in the final stanza when they finally were able to get a clutch hit.
A single and back-to-back fielder’s choices put junior Ashley Kappler at second and freshman Molly Fichtner on first with one out. Junior Caitlyn Ivy came up with the big hit, a single up the middle, to score Kappler and give the Birds the lead for good. A walk loaded the bases for Holmes, who picked up an easy RBI after being hit by a pitch, giving UTSA a 4-2 advantage.
However, Stephen F. Austin did not go away and it threatened to take a walk-off win in the bottom of the panel.
A single and double put runners on second and third with just one out. Staton, who entered the circle in the sixth, got a pop up for the second out before Luetge’s infield single cut the lead to one. She ended the drama by coaxing a fly ball to right to end the game. Staton (3-6) tossed two innings and allowed a run on four hits in the winning effort.
Monika Covington fell to 1-13 on the year after allowing the two seventh-inning runs and three hits in three innings of work.
Monroe and Fichtner each went 2-for-4 on the day and eight different Roadrunners recorded a hit.
UTSA will conclude its current six-game road swing with a 2 p.m doubleheader at Texas Southern (8-12) on Wednesday.
