NORFOLK, Va. — Brock Hartson was dominant in UTSA’s 5-0 series-opening victory on Thursday night at Old Dominion.
The sophomore right-hander tossed eight scoreless and struck out seven as the Roadrunners (26-12, 11-5 C-USA) won for the seventh time in 10 games. Hartson improved to 4-1 with the gem and he earned a win for the third consecutive series opener.
Mike Warren got his 2-for-3 night started in the second inning with a leadoff single to left. After Horacio Correa III sacrificed Warren to second base, John Bormann followed two batters later with a two-out single into left center to score Warren and stake UTSA to an early 1-0 lead.
That was all the run support Hartson needed on a night when the wind was blowing in from center field.
With the wind a constant obstacle for both offenses, UTSA, which leads Conference USA with 19 home runs, turned to a controlled small-ball approach in the sixth.
Following a leadoff single by John Welborn and sacrifice bunt by Jesse Baker, RJ Perucki put runners on the corners with another single. Warren then dropped a bunt down to pitcher Andy Roberts, who sailed his throw to the plate to allow Welborn to score. Correa III and Tony Ramirez followed with back-to-back RBI bunts to give the Birds a 4-0 edge.
C.J. Pickering added an insurance run with a RBI single in the ninth to score Bormann.
Bormann and Pickering each joined Warren with multi-hit efforts.
Logan Onda pitched a perfect ninth to send UTSA to the victory.
P.J. Higgins went 2-for-3 to lead the Monarchs (22-16, 10-9 C-USA).
Due to impending inclement weather, the series will conclude on Friday with a 3 p.m. (CT) doubleheader.