SAN ANTONIO — Connecticut scored five runs in the eighth inning and avoided a season-opening sweep against UTSA with a 9-6 victory on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (2-1) scored five quick runs in the second and third innings to lead the Huskies, 5-2.
Ben Brookover started off the second inning with a one-out single and then moved to second on Mason George’s base hit. Brookover scored the first run of the stanza on Skyler Valentine’s RBI double and that was followed by a Matt Hilston double that drove in Valentine and George.
In the third, UConn (1-2) scored a single run in the top half of the inning, but it was countered by two by UTSA. The Huskies added another run in the fourth to make it 5-3 UTSA.
Geonte Jackson scored the Roadrunners’ final run in the sixth after he led off the inning wih a single to center and made his way around the bases on a wild pitch and throwing error.
The Huskies made it a one-run game in the seventh with a lone run, but they opened the floodgates in the decisive eighth.
UTSA saw seven pitchers see action, but it was Bradley Griggs who was charged with the loss. Griggs, a southpaw, tossed two-thirds of an inning and allowed three runs on two hits and recorded one strikeout with a walk.
His counterpart, Jack Riley, earned the win in his one inning of work. Riley struck out one through three batters faced. Closer Randy Polonia earned the save in one inning of work as well. He issued one walk and recorded one strikeout.
UTSA will hit the road for a midweek contest at Sam Houston State on Tuesday, Feb. 23. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.