SAN ANTONIO — UTSA hit four home runs and held Houston Baptist to just three total runs in a doubleheader sweep, 3-1 and 5-2, to kick off a seven-game home stand on Wednesday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
Senior Carrie Monroe only was retired once, going a combined 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Roadrunners (14-17). Meanwhile, freshman Katy Akins and senior Emily Humpal both notched wins in the circle.
In the opener, the Great West Conference Regular Season Champion Huskies (21-16) put the leadoff hitter on base in four of the first five innings, but they only capitalized with a run in the fifth.
Pitcher Jammie Weidert singled through the left side before being replaced by pinch runner Jaymie Heibel, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Rebecca Rademacher followed with a single that stayed on the infield thanks to a diving stop by Ashley Kappler at second. However, Kappler jumped up and threw to first with no one on the bag and the error allowed Heibel to score.
That proved to be Houston Baptist’s last advantage of the day.
UTSA tied things up in the bottom of the sixth on junior Caitlyn Ivy’s third homer of the spring, a solo homer to center. Two batters later, an illegal pitch call prolonged an at-bat by Humpal and the Corpus Christi native ran the count full before earning a walk. She then was lifted for sophomore pinch runner Samantha Beeson, who was able to trot home on junior Nikki Goff’s blast to center two pitches later. The long ball gave the Roadrunners their first lead of the day.
Akins (2-2) worked around a leadoff single and walk in the final frame to record her first complete-game victory of the season. She allowed five hits, walked two and struck out a pair.
Weidert (8-5) took the loss after giving up three runs on a half dozen hits in six frames of work.
A two-out single to right by senior Kristin Kappler gave UTSA a quick 1-0 lead in the opening panel of the second game and the Roadrunners never looked back.
The Birds went on to post single runs in the second, third and fourth to build a 4-0 lead for Humpal.
Monroe stroked a run-scoring double to right center, while Kristin Kappler and freshman Siera Sproul homered to provide all the offense she would need.
Houston Baptist sliced the lead in half in the sixth with RBI singles from Mac Christensen and Heibel, but it was not enough.
Monroe’s second RBI of the day provided an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame and gave UTSA a 5-2 advantage.
Junior Morgan Luksa retired the side in the seventh to earn her third save of the season and move into a tie with Stephen F. Austin’s Monika Covington and Texas State’s Crystal Alaniz for most in the Southland Conference this year.
Humpal (5-1) scattered five hits in four innings and fanned four.
Beth Evans (3-5) surrendered four runs on eight hits in 3.1 frames.
The Roadrunners return to Southland play this weekend when they host UT Arlington (23-12, 10-2 SLC) at Roadrunner Field. The series begins with a 1 p.m. twinbill on Saturday.
