SAN ANTONIO — Senior Zach Calhoon came on to record the final out, putting an end to a five-run, ninth-inning rally by Houston, and UTSA held on for a 7-6 victory on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium.
The Roadrunners (5-5) nearly wasted a quality start from senior left-hander D.D. Towler, who ended up earning a win in his first start of the season.
Towler (1-0) allowed just three hits and walked four in six scoreless innings. He struck out two before giving way to the bullpen in the seventh.
Houston (5-3) rallied off junior reliever Cody Scott in the final frame. The Cougars pulled within a run when Caleb Ramsey hit a two-run double down the right-field line with two down. Calhoon recorded his second save of the spring after inducing a M.P. Cokinos fly out to center, pushing the right-hander's Southland Conference career record to 27.
Freshman Riley Good and sophomore Jake Wood each tallied a pair of hits to pace the Roadrunners, while Ramsey was 3-for-4 with the two ninth-inning RBIs.
UTSA started the scoring with three runs in the third, capped by a two-run double off the bat of sophomore Ryan Dalton.
Junior Casey Selsor scored the Roadrunners' fourth run an inning later when he swiped third base and crossed the dish when John Cannon's throw sailed into left field.
Houston got on the board in the seventh on Travis Trial's solo home run.
UTSA pushed the lead to 5-1 in the bottom half of the frame when Good scored on a wild pitch.
Junior Matthew James's double to right center plated Selsor in the eighth and he later scored on a wild pitch to give the Birds what appeared to be a comfortable six-run advantage.
Chase Dempsay (0-1) lasted only 2.1 innings, surrendering three runs on two hits and a walk.
UTSA begins a five-game road trip at New Mexico (0-8) on Friday.
