SAN ANTONIO — Randee Crawford hit a three-run homer to help UTSA to a 7-1 win in game one, but Middle Tennessee registered an 18-0 victory in game two to split a Conference USA double header on Friday at Roadrunner Field.
The blast for Crawford was her team-leading ninth of the season, and fifth in C-USA action, for the Roadrunners (12-19, 6-2 C-USA). Kaley Pyles recorded a pair of doubles, while Jade Smith, Angelica Niño and Tess Soefje all notched a pair of hits on the day.
In the opener, UTSA used a seven-run bottom of the third inning and a strong pitching performance from Lizzy Fox to down the Blue Raiders (16-16, 3-5 C-USA), 7-1.
After an out to start the inning, Smith beat out a grounder to the shortstop for an infield hit and the senior cruised to third base on Kendall Burton’s double to left-center field. Crawford then unloaded on a 1-0 pitch and sent it over the wall in left to put the home squad ahead, 3-0.
A Pyles double was followed by hits from Chelsea Thomas and Soefje to extend the lead to 4-0. Erica Sanchez then capped the inning with an RBI-double and a throwing error into the Middle Tennessee dugout allowed Soefje and Sanchez to score for a 7-0 cushion.
That was more than enough for Fox, who yielded just three hits while striking out four. Dani Munoz’s solo homer in the fourth broke up the shutout, but Fox sat down the final six batters to close the 7-1 victory and personally improve to 5-6 on the campaign.
In the nightcap, the Blue Raiders jumped ahead 7-0 by the end of the third inning and never looked back in an 18-0 win.
Austyn Whaley hit a three-run homer in the top of the first and Middle Tennessee added four runs, three of which were unearned, in the third for its early cushion.
The Roadrunners offense could not get on track against Megan Chocallo, who improved to 2-4 after she allowed four hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts. The Blue Raiders put the game out of reach with 11 runs in the top of the seventh to claim the 18-0 final.
UTSA and Middle Tennessee will close the series with a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.