SAN MARCOS — UTSA pitchers Haylee Staton and Alyssa Vordenbaum allowed just one unearned run in a doubleheader sweep of Texas State by scores of 3-1 and 5-0 on Friday in the Western Athletic Conference openers for both squads at Bobcat Softball Field.
The Roadrunners (17-12, 2-0 WAC) swept a twinbill in San Marcos for just the second time since 1997 (2011 was the other) and out-hit the home squad 17-8. Megan Low opened conference action with a home run and three RBIs on the day, while Courtney Buchman and Vivian Tijerina led the squad with three hits apiece.
Meanwhile, Anna Hernandez paced the Bobcats (5-24, 0-2), who have dropped their last five contests, with three hits.
UTSA left the bases loaded in the first inning of game one only to see Texas State counter with what proved to be its lone run of the day. Kellie Baker led off the frame with a walk and eventually came around to score on an error for a 1-0 lead for the Bobcats.
The lead stood until the fifth, when the Birds scored their three runs to take the lead for good.
Tijerina led off the inning with a single through the left side and was lifted for pinch runner Cosette Hernandez. Paige Hamilton followed with a hit back to the pitcher and the pair moved up 60 feet on an Alexis Ramirez sacrifice bunt.
Darian Blake knotted the score at one with a single up the middle to plate Hernandez and the Katy native moved to second on the throw home. That’s when Low took advantage of the pair in scoring position and placed Rayn House’s 1-2 pitch in center field to plate both for a 3-1 lead.
Haylee Staton allowed just two hits in the final three frames as the Bobcats never threatened. The Austin native improved to 8-4 with the win after giving up four hits and five walks, while House dropped to 2-10.
In the nightcap, Vordenbaum kept Texas State off the board, but the Roadrunners could not score until the sixth. UTSA stranded four runners in the first five innings before erupting for five runs in the final two frames.
Blake opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on Low’s sacrifice bunt. Another walk and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs. Shortstop Jordan Masek could not handle Victoria Birdwell’s batted ball and the error allowed Siera Sproul to score for a 1-0 advantage.
The lead then grew to 3-0 on Tijerina’s two-run double to the gap in left center. A walk to Jori Fox again loaded the bases for pinch hitter Samantha Beeson, who singled to left for a 4-0 cushion.
An inning later, Low put the exclamation point on the win with her fifth home run of the season. The Spring led off the seventh and took reliever Ashley Wright’s 1-0 offering over the wall in left. The blast also gave Low her team-leading 23rd RBI of the campaign.
Vordenbaum retired the side in order in the seventh to notch her second complete-game victory in her last three starts. The Pasadena native scattered just four hits and struck out one to improve to 7-5, while Wright dropped to 3-10 with five runs in 3.2 innings of relief.
The teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. tilt.