THIBODUAX, La. — Senior Taylor Walton hurled his team-leading third complete game and the right-hander led UTSA to a 3-2 victory at Nicholls Saturday at Ray E. Didier Field.
Walton (5-4) scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out two. The Midland native gave up single runs in the first two frames but limited the Colonels (21-22, 10-13 SLC) to just two hits in the final seven stanzas.
UTSA (20-24, 12-11 SLC) provided Walton with a three-run lead before he even reached the mound.
The Roadrunners batted around in the opening frame and chased Nicholls starter Brian Arceneaux (2-7) from the contest after he allowed three runs on five hits.
Freshman Riley Good and junior Matthew James set the tone early with back-to-back doubles before senior Ryan Hutson's sacrifice fly to left drove in the game's first run. Junior Casey Selsor produced a run-scoring single and it was sophomore Jake Wood's bases-loaded walk which brought home the Roadrunners' third and final run and chased Arceneaux from the contest. Dylan Delaune came on to force a groudout by redshirt freshman RJ Perucki to leave the bases loaded.
The Nicholls bullpen struck out a half dozen Roadrunners and allowed just four hits the rest of the way.
Sophomore Ryan Dalton led UTSA at the plate with three hits.
The Birds will attempt to win their fifth consecutive league series in Sunday's 1 p.m. finale.
