SAN ANTONIO — UTSA scored all its runs in the fifth and sixth innings and the Roadrunners held on for a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against I-35 rival Texas State on Friday night at the Bird Bath.
The Roadrunners (25-20, 9-9 WAC) faced a 1-0 deficit in the fifth before stringing together three hits and scoring twice to take a one-run lead.
A frame later, John Welborn drove in Mike Warren, who reached on a throwing error to start the sixth, to give the Birds a 3-1 advantage.
The Bobcats (21-24, 11-8 WAC) pulled to within a tally in the eighth after Garrett Mattlage produced a run-scoring single, but first-year head coach Jason Marshall then summoned Matt Sims from the bullpen and he slammed the door shut for his fifth save by retiring all four hitters he faced, including the final three by strikeout.
Brock Hartson (6-4) scattered nine hits and gave up his lone run in the second. The right-hander, who logged his team-leading sixth quality start of the campaign, also struck out two.
Meanwhile, the Roadrunners' offense managed just six hits against four Texas State hurlers, but they made them count.
Daniel Rockett paced the club with two knocks, including a double and an RBI, while Welborn was 1-for-3 and drove in a run.
The Bobcats collected 11 hits on the night, including two apiece from Ben McElroy, Andrew Stumph and Colby Targun. Stumph also recorded a double, while Targun drove in the first run of the contest.
Lucas Humpal (3-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits over 5.2 stanzas. He walked three and fanned four.
The set continues at 2 p.m. on Saturday. UTSA will send southpaw Michael Kraft (3-5, 4.06 ERA) to the mound, while Texas State will counter with righty Taylor Black (3-5, 4.09 ERA).