BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — UTSA had a season-high 16 hits on Saturday afternoon, but it came up short in a 14-10 loss at Western Kentucky.
The Roadrunners (14-23, 5-12 C-USA) managed to make it a one-run game in the eighth inning after Tyler Straub and Mason George crossed home on a passed ball and infield single, respectively, to make it 11-10, but that was the last time they would be within arms reach of the Hilltoppers (21-18, 8-9 C-USA).
WKU answered back in the home half of the eighth with three runs, which capped off the scoring for both teams.
UTSA scored in all but four innings and never scored less than two runs in a frame. Bryan Arias and George each set career marks with four hits apiece.
Southpaw Karl Craigie was charged with the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits in just 2.2 innings of work.
Meanwhile, WKU starter Josh Bartley received a no decision in 3.2 innings of work, but reliever Cody Coll was awarded the win in his two frames of action. Kevin Elder earned his fifth save of the season in 2.2 innings.
The high-scoring affair began early, as each team scored two runs each in each of the first two innings.
In the third, the Hilltoppers opened up the game by scoring five times, including two on Danny Hudzina's two-run home run, which made it 9-4.
Both teams went quiet in the following two innings before both were back on the board with two runs each in the sixth.
The Roadrunners cut into the lead on Ben Brookover's two-run pinch-hit home run in the seventh for the only scores of the stanza before making it a one-run game in the following inning.
The series will close out at noon on Sunday.
