SAN ANTONIO — Sophomore Samantha Beeson went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and career-high three RBIs, senior Danye Holmes hit a two-run homer to break a 5-all tie and UTSA finished off a weekend sweep of Central Arkansas with a 7-5 victory on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
Holmes (5-3) picked up her fifth win of the season in the circle for the Roadrunners (22-22, 12-12 SLC), who won their fifth consecutive game.
The opening inning set the tone for what would be a back-and-forth contest, as both teams manufactured a run.
Kasey Britt collected the first of her four RBIs with a sacrifice fly to left in the top of the frame for the Bears (20-26, 7-14 SLC). Meanwhile, senior Kristin Kappler’s run-scoring single to left with two out plated senior Carrie Monroe to tie things up in the bottom of the panel.
UTSA jumped out to a 4-1 lead with a three-run second inning, which was highlighted by Beeson’s two-run double.
Cami Newsome walked freshman Jori Fox and Holmes to open the frame and the pair moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by junior Nikki Goff. Beeson’s line-drive to the gap in left center plated Fox and Holmes and ended Newsome’s day after just 1.1 innings. Reliever Katie McGregor promptly gave up a single before throwing a wild pitch that allowed Beeson to cross the plate.
However, Central Arkansas began to chip away at the advantage with a run on another Britt sacrifice fly in the third and a solo home run to left center off the bat of McGregor a stanza later.
The Roadrunners pushed the lead to 5-3 when Beeson led off the bottom of the fourth with her first long ball of the season to center field.
The Bears rallied to tie the score with two down in the fifth.
Nicole Beals doubled to right before Britt took a full-count pitch from Holmes over the fence in right center for Central Arkansas’ final runs of the game.
UTSA once again battled back and came up with a pair of runs off Kelsie Armstrong in the bottom of the inning.
Junior Caitlyn Ivy singled up the middle with one down before being lifted in favor of freshman Siera Sproul. The pinch runner was able to cruise home two batters later when Holmes crushed her third homer of the spring to right center and the blast proved to be the difference.
Sophomore Haylee Staton benefitted from a double play in the sixth before getting the final three outs in the final frame for her first save of the season. The Austin native allowed two hits, walked one and struck out two in two innings.
Armstrong (12-18) took her third loss of the series after giving up two runs on three hits in her 1.1 panels.
UTSA is back in action on Wednesday, April 20, at No. 15 Baylor (34-8). First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Getterman Stadium. The Lady Bears defeated UTSA, 4-3, on Feb. 12 at the season-opening Getterman Classic.
