SAN ANTONIO — UTSA and Bryant went toe-for-toe for seven-and-a-half innings before UTSA managed to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth and the Roadrunners held off the Bulldogs en route to an 8-6 victory to open this weekend's three-game series on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
Patrick Herbelin (2-0) picked up his second win of the season with three innings of action out of the bullpen. The right-hander allowed two runs on one hit, walked four and struck out three.
Herbelin entered the game in the seventh with UTSA leading, 6-4, but Bryant (0-1) responded with two runs in its half of the eighth to even the score at six.
However, UTSA (3-2) answered back with a two-spot of its own.
Alex Lagos (0-1) loaded the bases and then threw a pair of wild pitches after recording the first out of the frame and that allowed the go-ahead runs to cross the plate for the Roadrunners. C.J. Pickering, who led off the inning with an infield single, crossed home on the first wild pitch and Trent Bowles followed to put UTSA in front, 8-6.
Herbelin promptly retired the side in order in the ninth to finish off the Roadrunners' third home win in four tries this spring.
UTSA outhit the Bulldogs, 11-8, and it was error-free on the night.
Leadoff man Kevin Markham led the Roadrunners by going 3-for-3 with three runs, a double and a stolen base. Pickering was 3-for-4 with a double and he scored twice.
Game two of the series will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday's series finale has been moved up a half hour to 11:30 a.m. to accommodate Bryant's travel plans.