SAN ANTONIO — UTSA split a pair of games on Saturday at the UTSA Classic presented by Alamo Area Mutual Housing Association on Saturday. The Roadrunners opened the evening with an 11-1 run-rule victory against Rutgers before falling to Boise State in the nightcap, 9-6.
Megan Low led the Roadrunners (4-3) with a 4-for-5 day at the plate that included her first multi-homer game and four RBIs against the Scarlet Knights. Courtney Buchman added three hits and three RBIs of her own against Rutgers, while Haylee Staton earned the win in the cricle.
UTSA will wrap up tournament play with an 11:30 a.m. tilt against Missouri State (3-6).
Game #1: UTSA 11, Rutgers 1 (5 innings)
UTSA scored runs in each of the first three innings to grab a 6-0 lead and closed with a five-run fifth for an 11-1 run-rule victory against Rutgers.
With the Roadrunners playing as the visiting team on the scoreboard, Alexis Ramirez opened the contest with a walk and moved to second on her fifth stolen base of the season. The San Marcos, Calif., native advanced to third on Buchman’s single to right and scored off a wild pitch from Abbey Houston.
Low pushed the early lead to 3-0 with a two-run blast right center for her first round-tripper of the campaign.
The Roadrunners scratched together a run in the second inning thanks to a leadoff walk to Vivian Tijerina and an error on shortstop Ashley Bragg. With runners on the corner, Ramirez was thrown out trying to steal second, but the play allowed Tijerina to touch home for a 4-0 lead.
Samantha Beeson and Buchman drove in runs with hits in the third before the Scarlet Knights broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fourth.
The UTSA offense got rolling in the fifth and scored five times with two outs to put the game out of reach.
Buchman doubled home a pair with a shot to left center and Low followed with her second homer of the afternoon, this time to right center, and the lead swelled to 10-0. The power surge continued when Jolene Graham recorded her first round-tripper of the season to cap the scoring.
After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the panel, Staton (2-1) retired the side to earn her second win of the season. The Austin native allowed just one run, scattered five hits and struck out three.
Game #2: Boise State 9, UTSA 6
Boise State jumped out to a 9-1 lead and held off a late UTSA rally for a 9-6 triumph in the nightcap.
The Broncos (4-5) scored runs in the first two innings before putting up a three-spot in the third.
UTSA ended the shutout with a run in the bottom of the fourth.
Ramirez walked to start the frame and moved up 60 feet on a passed ball. Broncos starter Rebecca Patton retired the next two hitters before Low singled to put runners on the corners. Graham then followed with her second RBI of the day on a base hit to center.
However, Boise State got that run back in the fifth and added three more in the sixth for an eight-run lead.
Three outs away from a run-rule loss, the Roadrunners offense came alive and tallied five in the bottom of the inning to pull to within 9-6.
Darian Blake led off the inning with a walk and the bases quickly were loaded following singles from Low and Graham. Victoria Birdwell reached on an error to help score two runs to chase Patton from the contest.
Jori Fox greeted reliever Lela Work to the contest with a three-run homer to center to pull UTSA to within three. The blast was the sixth of her career and first since April 29, 2011.
However, Work settled down and retired the next five batters she faced to close out the game.
Patton (3-1) surrendered four runs and struck out five in 5.1 innings, while Graham (1-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up five runs (two earned) in 2.2 frames.