SAN ANTONIO — J.T. Gilmore hit a grand slam for his first collegiate home run and Trent Bowles registered four hits to lead UTSA past Southern Miss, 11-7, on Saturday night at Roadrunner Field.
Gilmore’s grand slam in the bottom second gave UTSA (26-17, 12-8 C-USA) a 4-2 lead after Southern Miss homered in the first. The sophomore finished the night 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs, two runs, a double and home run.
The Roadrunners’ advantage would not hold for long, as Southern Miss (22-16-1, 9-10 C-USA) regained its lead in the fourth.
The Golden Eagles plated three runs to lead the home team 5-4, but in the home half, Trent Bowles blasted a leadoff home run to even the score at 5-all. Bowles ended the night 4-for-5 with three runs, two RBIs, a double and a home run.
In the fifth, both teams produced runs as USM pushed one run home. UTSA responded back in the home half with three runs of its own.
Eight Roadrunners made a plate appearance in the inning as Matt Hilston, C.J. Pickering and Kevin Markham all came home on a back-to-back base hits.
UTSA combined for another three runs in the sixth and seventh innings as Gilmore scored his second run of the game in the sixth. In the seventh, John Bormann scored on a wild pitch, while Bowles came home on Ben Brookover’s single.
Southern Miss made an attempt to chip into the Roadrunners’ lead in the eighth as they scored on a two-out single.
Earning the win for UTSA was senior Logan Onda. The right-hander pitched 1.1 innings in relief and allowed one run on two hits.
Golden Eagles starter Cody Carroll was charged with the loss in 4.1 innings of action. The junior allowed eight run on seven hits with three walks while recording three strikeouts.
The series finale will be played at 11 a.m. on Sunday.