THIBODUAX, La. — Nicholls committed three errors during the third inning, which led to four unearned runs, and that allowed UTSA to pick up its fifth consecutive Southland Conference series win with a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon at Ray E. Didier Field.
The Roadrunners improved to 21-24 overall and 13-11 in league play, while the Colonels fell to 21-23 (10-14 SLC).
Junior right-hander Jordan Langley (4-3) worked five solid innings on the mound to pick up the win. The Sealy native scattered four hits. allowed an unearned run while, struck out one and walked a pair before giving way to the bullpen. Senior Kevin Clarke entered in the eighth and finished out the game for his third save of the season. He allowed two hits, fanned a pair and walked one.
The Roadrunners put pressure on the Colonels defense in the third to break the scoring seal.
After redshirt freshman RJ Perucki reached on an error and freshman Riley Good singled through the right side of the infield, junior Matthew James laid down a sacrifice bunt, which was thrown away to load the bases. Senior Ryan Hutson stepped up and hit a sacrifice fly to left to plate Perucki and senior Tyler Carpenter followed with a run-scoring single to give the Birds a 2-0 lead. With runners on the corners, sophomore Ryan Dalton laid down a squeeze bunt and that, too, was thrown away, allowing another run to score. The Roadrunners scored their final run of the frame when Carpenter crossed home while Dalton was caught in a rundown between first and second base.
Nicholls plated an unearned run in the bottom of the panel.
Jason Dennis drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second after a throwing error by Carpenter. Austin Flores followed with a double to left, which scored Dennis.
UTSA increased its lead to four in the seventh when Hutson delivered another sacrifice fly, this time to right field, which plated Good.
Nicholls capped the scoring an inning later when Scott Moseley chopped a bases-loaded single through the right side to score Chase Jaramillo, but Clarke worked out of the jam by retiring three straight batters to end the threat.
Good and James collected two hits apiece to pace UTSA at the plate, while Hutson was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
The Roadrunners will return to the diamond on Tuesday in a 6 p.m. non-conference contest at Wolff Stadium against No. 6 Texas A&M (30-14).
