SAN ANTONIO — UTSA scored eight runs combined in its final two at-bats and pulled away from UT Arlington for a 9-2 victory in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opener for both teams on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (14-8, 1-0 WAC), who snapped a three-game losing streak, entered the bottom of the seventh in a 1-1 tie with the Mavericks (10-11, 0-1 WAC) but busted out for six runs, including a pair on Riley Good's triple with two outs.
UTSA, which stranded 12 base runners, tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth on RJ Perucki's solo home run and Rodney Garza's RBI groundout.
Perucki and John Bormann each tallied three hits to pace the Roadrunners' 14-hit attack. Perucki collected a double, a homer and an RBI, while Bormann drove in a pair.
Tony Ramirez also posted two hits, including a double in the fourth, to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Jordan Pacheco (5-0) picked up the victory after 2.1 scoreless frames in relief. The right-hander fanned four of the nine batters he faced.
Meanwhile, Mavericks starter Brad Vachon (2-2) was saddled with the loss after yielding five runs (four earned) on 11 hits in 6.1 stanzas. He also walked two and struck out three.
UTSA broke the scoring seal in the fourth.
After Ramirez led off the inning with a double to left and Bormann flied out, Garza ripped a single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Jesse Baker then lined a single into right that sent Ramirez plateward.
UT Arlington pulled even two panels later on Brandon Lawrence's RBI single.
The series continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday. UTSA will send right-hander Brock Hartson (2-2, 2.73 ERA) to the mound, while UT Arlington will counter with left-hander Chase Weaver (2-0, 2.66 ERA).