SAN ANTONIO — Brock Hartson struck out a career-high nine batters to lead UTSA to a 5-1 victory against South Dakota State in Friday's opener of a three-game series at Roadrunner Field.
Hartson, a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American a season ago, was dominant in allowing just one run on six hits in his eight innings of work. Logan Onda struck out the side in the ninth to finish off the triumph.
UTSA (6-3) built Hartson an early lead when Jesse Baker’s RBI triple to center in the first scored Mitchell Matulia. Baker scored a batter later on a throwing error.
Baker finished the evening 3-for-3 with two runs scored.
Leading 2-0, John Welborn singled home Tony Ramirez in the bottom of the second to extend the Birds' advantage to 3-0.
Hartson followed in the top of third by striking out the side.
The Jackrabbits (5-4) found their way on the scoreboard in the sixth on Aaron Machbitz’s RBI single through the left side of the infield. With runners at first and second and one out, Hartson struck out Matt Johnson before catcher John Bormann picked off Jordan Varga at second base a batter later to end South Dakota State's most serious scoring threat of the evening.
Baker led off the bottom half of the sixth with a single and later attempted to steal second base, but the pitch got away from the South Dakota State catcher, which allowed Baker to advance all the way to third. The junior then scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1. Ramirez' sacrifice fly to center to plated Mike Warren for the final run of the game.
With inclement weather scheduled for Sunday, the two teams will conclude the weekend series with a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.