NEW ORLEANS, La. — UTSA scored three unearned runs in the third inning and the Roadrunners held on for a 3-2 victory at Tulane on Friday night in front of 1,842 fans at Turchin Stadium.
UTSA (13-5) scored all three of their runs with two outs in the deciding panel.
Rodney Garza led off the frame with a single to left, but the at-bat was kept alive on a questionable error on a misjudged foul ball by Green Wave first baseman Sean Potkay. After Garza moved to third on a Jesse Baker sacrifice bunt and Riley Good ground out, Horacio Correa III and RJ Perucki produced back-to-back run-scoring doubles and Mike Warren followed with a triple off the wall in left field, which give the Birds an early 3-0 lead.
Tulane (10-10) scored a pair of runs an inning later to pull to within one.
After Blake Crohan stroked a lead-offsingled to lead off the stanza, UTSA starting pitcher Michael Kraft walked two of the next three batters to load the bases. Blake Boudreaux then produced a two-run single and Jordan Pacheco entered the game to relieve Kraft with one out. He induced back-to-back ground outs to quell the threat.
Pacheco (4-0) worked out of another jam in the sixth.
The right-hander gave up a leadoff double to Potkay and issued a walk to Garrett Cannizaro. Boudreaux moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but Pacheco struck out Tim Yandel and forced Richard Carthon to ground out to Garza at second.
Pacheco, who scattered three hits, walked a pair and fanned five in 5.2 innings out of the bullpen, put up two more zeroes before giving way to Matt Sims, who retired the Green Wave in order in the ninth for his second save of the season.
Correa III led the Birds at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance and Warren chipped in with a pair of hits.
Tony Rizzotti (3-2) allowed three unearned runs on nine hits and fanned four in eight stanzas of work.
The series continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday. UTSA will send right-hander Brock Hartson (2-1, 2.91 ERA) to the mound and Tulane will counter with righty Alex Byo (1-2, 1.52 ERA).