SAN ANTONIO — UTSA improved to 9-1 in its last 10 games by dispatching Columbia in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (15-5) will look for the series sweep of the Lions at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Game 1: UTSA 5, Columbia 1
Nolan Trabanino allowed one earned run over six innings to lead the Roadrunners to the game one victory. The sophomore left-hander kept the Lions off balance with a good mix of pitches to improve to 4-0 on the season.
UTSA gave Trabanino an early cushion with single runs in both the first and second innings.
In the first, John Welborn scored on a passed ball after leading off the inning with a single and John Bormann connected on his third home run in three games in the second to stake the Roadrunners to a 2-0 advantage.
Meanwhile, Columbia’s lone run of the game came in the fourth with an RBI groundout to second base by Wes Craig.
UTSA first baseman Mike Warren answered Columbia’s run in the fourth with an RBI single through the right side of the infield to plate Horacio Correa III in the fifth.
The Roadrunners added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth before turning the game over to the bullpen. Welborn reached first base on a throwing error by shortstop Aaron Silbar allowing Tony Ramirez to score from third. Jesse Baker then scored Logan Kinder on a sacrifice fly to center.
That is when Logan Onda entered in relief and picked up where Trabanino left off. The junior righty allowed two hits over the final three innings, striking out four, to earn his second save of the season.
Game 2: UTSA 9, Columbia 8
UTSA cruised out to an 8-1 lead thru four innings in game two of the doubleheader before it survived a furious late innings comeback from the Lions.
RJ Perucki got things started in the first with an RBI single through the left side and Mike Warren followed two batters later with a two-run double down the left field line. Warren was able to advance to third on the play after the ball kicked off the Columbia left fielder’s glove. Bormann singled him home immediately after to give the Birds a 4-0 edge.
Following Joey Falcone’s RBI single in the second for the Lions, Correa III launched his first home run of the season in the third with a man on to extend the Roadrunners lead to 6-1.
UTSA plated two more in the fourth highlighted by Perucki’s double to the gap in left center. The senior from Tomball finished the game 3-for-5.
The Lions chipped away at the deficit in the fifth with back-to-back RBI singles to narrow the gap to 8-3.
The Birds seemed to answer the call in the home half of the inning, loading the bases and scoring a run on four walks. Welborn’s bases-loaded walk with one out scored Warren from third.
Following the walk the Lion’s turned to reliever Mitch Robinson, who escaped the fifth inning jam in his first appearance this season.
Columbia capitalized on a UTSA fielding error in the sixth as part of a four-run frame to cut the deficit to 9-7. Logan Boyher’s two run single in the inning was part of a 4-for-5 performance at the plate.
Stephen Paller cut the Roadrunners lead to 9-8 in the seventh with a double to left center.
That’s when the Bird’s turned to closer Matt Sims. The senior shut the door on any further comeback efforts from the Lions.
Sims tossed the final 2.1 innings for his third save allowing a single hit to the eight batters he faced.