BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Frank Martinez's walk-off, two-run single with two outs in the ninth lifted CSU Bakersfield to a 6-5 victory against UTSA on Sunday afternoon at Hardt Field.
Martinez bounced the first pitch from Logan Onda towards the hole on the left side of the diamond. UTSA third baseman RJ Perucki attempted to run down the hit, but the ball ricocheted off his glove and into left field. Kevin Younger was waved around the bag at third and scored without a throw to complete the series sweep.
The visiting Roadrunners (19-16, 4-7 WAC) took a 5-4 lead with a three-run ninth, but they were unable to hold the advantage.
Taylor Aikenhead (5-2) picked up the victory after retiring three of the four batters he faced in the final frame. The left-hander, who entered with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth, walked Horacio Correa III and surrendered a sacrifice fly to Perucki before forcing a fly out and a ground out.
Wesley Cox (2-1) suffered the loss for UTSA. The right-hander walked Cael Brockmeyer and Younger, both of whom scored on Martinez's walk-off hit against Onda, with one down in the final panel. Cox allowed two runs on a hit, walked two and struck out a pair in an inning of work.
CSUB (24-13, 9-3 WAC), which remained tied atop the league standings with UT Arlington, posted 13 hits on the day and was led by Dylan Christensen, who was 3-for-5 with a run-scoring triple, which tied the game at two in the seventh. Meanwhile, Martinez was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and Brockmeyer went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
UTSA collected nine hits in the game, including two apiece by Perucki and Tony Ramirez. Both players also drove in a run.
UTSA took a 2-1 lead into the seventh.
After starting pitcher Nolan Trabanino gave up a leadoff single to Jordie Hein and a sacrifice bunt to Oscar Sanay, he was replaced by Matt Sims. The right-hander retired the following hitter on a ground out, but Christensen lined a ball into the right-field corner for a triple, which tied the game. Brockmeyer then produced a RBI single to give CSU Bakersfield a 3-2 advantage.
CSU Bakersfield later added another tally in the eighth on Sanay's double.
UTSA answered in the ninth with three runs to retake the advantage.
After Riley Good walked and Jesse Baker singled to put runners on the corners, John Welborn laid down a bunt to Christensen. The right-handed reliever started to turn to second and then decided to throw home, but Good's slide at the plate knocked the ball out of Martinez's glove to pull UTSA to within a run. Daniel Rockett then was hit by a pitch and Christensen was replaced by Aikenhead, who gave eventually up the lead on Perucki's sacrifice fly.
The Roadrunners will return to action on Wednesday, April 17, at Lamar (26-11). First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.