SAN ANTONIO — Jesse Baker and Skyler Valentine combined for half the team's hits, but it was not enough, as Quinnipiac edged UTSA by a score of 5-4 on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
Baker and Valentine each registered a pair of hits. Baker went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, while both of Valentine's hits were solo home runs, matching a career high set during his freshman season on the road at Charlotte.
Right-hander Chance Kirby earned his second straight Opening Day start but took the loss in four innings on the mound. The Austin native allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits and registered a game-high six strikeouts.
Kirby's counterpart, Christian Nicolosi earned the win in 5.1 innings of work. He allowed three runs on four hits and also matched Kirby with six strikeouts.
Nicolosi was effective up until the sixth inning when he gave up back-to-back home runs. Quinnipiac led 4-1 before the solo homers and UTSA (0-1) was within one of the Bobcats, 4-3.
Kevin Markham blasted a one-out jack over the right field wall and was followed by Valentine's first long ball of the night.
Quinnipiac (1-0) added to its lead in the top of the seventh with the game's third shot to lead 5-3 and would be the last time the visiting team would score.
The Roadrunners made it a one-run game in the eighth on Valentine's second home run of the night but closer Wyatt Hamilton was efficient in the ninth. J.T. Gilmore, who pinch-hit for Trent Bowles, laced a ball through the left side to start the inning. A sac bunt by Bryan Arias moved Gilmore over but was then replaced by Ryan Stacy on the base paths. A strikeout and fly out ended the inning and gave UTSA its first Opening Day loss in six years.
The four-game series will continue with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
