SAN ANTONIO — Rodney Garza's double with one out in the 10th inning plated John Bormann with the winning run and UTSA posted a 4-3, come-from-behind victory against Washington State on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
Bormann started the final frame with a single through the left side of the inflield and was moved to second on John Welborn's sacrifice bunt. Garza then stepped into the left-handed batter's box and ripped the first pitch from J.D. Leckenby to the warning track in right field, which allowed Bormann to score the winning run.
"It was a first-pitch fastball and I was looking for something good to hit," Garza said. "We battled the whole day and it was nice to get the win."
The victory clinched the series for the Roadrunners (12-5), who took three of four games from the visiting Cougars (9-6).
It was all made possible due to UTSA's comeback in the ninth inning.
The Birds trailed 3-2 and were down to their last out when RJ Perucki doubled to the right-center gap off Leckenby, who had not blown a save this season. Mike Warren drove the next pitch into right field and Perucki was waved around to score the tying run.
UTSA nearly ended the game three pitches later when Tony Ramirez hit a single to left which caromed off left fielder Adam Nelubowich. Warren was on his way to third as the ball bounced away and he was sent home, but center fielder Collin Slaybaugh picked up the ball, hurled it to catcher P.J. Jones on one hop and he applied the tag on Warren to send the game to extra innings.
The Roadrunners started the scoring in the first with a pair of runs.
With the bases and one out, Ramirez singled through the left side, which allowed Horacio Correa III to score. Kyle Swannack then uncorked a wild pitch and Perucki crossed the plate to give the Birds a two-run advantage.
However, UTSA went scoreless for the next seven frames, despite picking up nine hits and stranding eight runners during that span.
Washington State capitalized with single runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the game and it took the lead in the seventh on Brett Jacobs' RBI single.
The Cougars had a chance to extend their advantage a panel later.
Slaybaugh singled with two outs and Nick Tanielu was hit by a Wesley Cox pitch. Matt Sims then entered the game and needed only one pitch to retire Nelubowich on a fly out in foul territory to quell the threat.
Washington State also received a two-out double from Jacobs in the the top of the ninth but was unable to take advantage of their third extra-base hit of the game, as Sims induced am Ian Sagdal fly out on the subsequent pitch.
The bottom of the frame started with Riley Good being retired on a fly out and Correa III grounding out to Leckenby. Four pitches later, Perucki started the rally with his second hit of the contest.
Sims (1-0) picked up the win after tossing 2.1 scoreless stanzas.
Meanwhile, Leckenby (0-1) suffered the loss after yielding two runs on five hits over 1.1 innings.
Both teams posted 14 hits on the day.
UTSA was led by three hits and an RBI from Ramirez, while five other players tallied a pair of knocks, including Garza.
Jacobs paced the Cougars with a 3-for-5 effort that included a double and an RBI.
UTSA will return to action on Friday, March 15, in the opener of a three-game series at Tulane (9-8). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.