SAN ANTONIO — UTSA split Saturday’s doubleheader with Middle Tennessee dropping the first game 6-5. The Roadrunners came back in the nightcap to win 4-3 to clinch a spot in the 2015 Conference USA Championship in Hattiesburg, Miss.
With the series win over Middle Tennessee, head coach Jason Marshall captured his 100th career win at the helm of the Roadrunners baseball program. Marshall notched back-to-back 35-win seasons in his first two years.
In Game 1, UTSA (30-21, 15-12 C-USA) dropped a 6-5 decision to the Blue Raiders. Freshman Chance Kirby earned his fourth start of the year and gave up three quick runs to Middle Tennessee. The right-hander settled in after the opening stanza and held the Blue Raiders scoreless through the next five frames.
Kirby was charged with the loss in his six innings of action as he allowed the go-ahead run in the seventh. The freshman allowed four runs on six hits and issued a season-high six walks with six strikeouts.
The Roadrunners trailed 3-2 through five innings and tied the ballgame in the sixth. Geonte Jackson was the first base runner for UTSA as he took a base on a hit-by-pitch. Ben Brookover moved him over on a single and Jackson then came home on J.T. Gilmore’s single.
In the seventh inning, MT (29-22, 19-8 C-USA) regained its lead as it plated one run. The Blue Raiders added lone runs in the next two innings for the win over UTSA.
Tyler Straub became the final Roadrunner to register a hit as he drove in Matt Hilston on a single to make the game 5-4 in the eighth. John Bormann scored the final run on a solo shot to left.
All nine in the starting lineup tallied at least one hit while Jesse Baker and Bormann each had two hits.
Meanwhile, Blake Stansberry was the pitcher of record as tossed 1.1 innings in relief. He did not allow a run and scattered one hit.
In the nightcap, the Roadrunners battled back from a 2-0 deficit after both teams went scoreless through four innings.
In the fifth inning, MT scattered four hits and scored its two runs on three of those hits.
UTSA cut the lead in half in the bottom sixth as Brookover scored Hilston on a two-out double. The Roadrunners kept the momentum going in the following inning as they plated three more runs for the lead.
Straub led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Baker then laced a ball through the left side to score Straub for the first run. Three batters later, Trent Bowles hit a ball to the left side that scored Markham and Baker for the lead.
MT threatened in the eighth but scored only one run as Patrick Herbelin pitched 1.1 innings for the save. Senior Cody Brannon earned the win in 1.2 innings in relief as he did not allow a run on one hit and two walks.
Sam Alton was charged with the loss in 0.1 inning. He gave up two runs on two hits.
UTSA will now hit the road for its final four games of the regular seasonbeginning with a Tuesday, May 12, matchup at Baylor (19-28).