SAN ANTONIO — Freshman Chance Kirby logged a season-best seven-plus innings and Cody Brannon preserved the lead en route to a 5-4 UTSA victory against I-35 rival Texas State on Tuesday night at Roadrunner Field.
Kirby recorded a season-best eight strikeouts and only walked two batters. All four runs given up were solo home runs for the Bobcats (12-15-1) Brannon went the final two innings and allowed only one hit through the seven batters he faced to earn his second save of the year.
The Roadrunners (16-13) took the early lead when they produced a pair of runs in the opening stanza, which gave them a 2-1 lead.
Jesse Baker laced a one-out double to score Kevin Markham from second for the first run and, two batters later, Baker came home on a C.J. Pickering fielder’s choice.
UTSA added a run in the fourth when Skyler Valentine hit the first home run of his career.
In the next frame, the Roadrunners plated two more runs with Markham scoring for the second time.
Texas State spread the scoring around with solo shots in the first, sixth and eighth innings.
UTSA outhit its I-35 rival, 9-7, with four Roadrunners registering two hits apiece.
The Roadrunners will hit the road this weekend for a three-game slate at FIU (13-16, 5-4 C-USA).