SAN ANTONIO — UTSA erupted for eight runs in the sixth inning to erase a four-run deficit and the Roadrunners outlasted McNeese State by a score of 13-8 on Saturday at the Bird Bath.
A bases-loaded walk and run-scoring fielder's choice in the second put the Cowboys (3-3) in front early, but the Roadrunners (4-2) cut the lead in half on Ryan Stacy's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.
Jacob Stracner's two-run homer in the fourth extended the advantage to 4-1 and McNeese State added a two-spot in the following frame to go on top, 6-1.
Matt Hilston's RBI double in the fifth plated Tyler Straub, who reached on a dropped fly ball by Cowboys left fielder Shane Selman to lead off the stanza.
The decisive eight-run sixth followed and that put UTSA in the lead for the first time. The Roadrunners, who did their damage on six hits and three walks, went on top for good on Skyler Valentine's two-run single through the left side with two outs.
UTSA's lead swelled to 12-6 in the seventh and the teams exchanged runs in the eighth before McNeese State scored once more in the ninth for the final five-run margin.
C.J. Pickering led the Roadrunners offense by going 4-for-6 with two doubles, a pair of runs and two RBIs. Hilston and Geonte Jackson both added a pair of hits and two RBIs and Hilston crossed the plate three times in addition to drawing three walks.
Bradley Griggs (1-1) picked up the win in relief after tossing two-plus scoring innings. The left-hander scattered three hits, walked one and fanned a batter. Patrick Herbelin struck out five over the final three frames to earn his first save of the spring.
Aidan Anderson (0-1) was tagged with loss after surrendering five runs on just two hits, but he walked three in his 1.1 innings of work.
Stracner was 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs for the Cowboys.
Sunday's rubber game is scheduled for 1 p.m.