SAN ANTONIO — UTSA rallied with a six-run eighth inning after giving up nine runs in the seventh, but it fell short, as Quinnipiac closed out this weekend's season-opening four-game series with a 12-10 victory on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (1-3) scored early with runs in the second and third off solo home runs by Trent Bowles and Jesse Baker, respectively. The Roadrunners ended the day with three long balls and pushed its season total to nine through four games.
The Bobcats (3-1) responded with a two-run third to even the score and both teams went quietly through the next two innings before either team crossed home plate.
In the sixth, Quinnipiac scored a lone run off a bases clearing double by Brian Moskey, as he attempted to stretch it into a triple but was tagged at third from the throw from right field.
UTSA jumped to a 4-3 lead in the home half of that inning after Bowles doubled to left to score Kevin Markham. On the following at-bat, Ben Brookover laced a ball through the left side and that scored Bowles for the lead.
Quinnipiac exploded for nine runs in the seventh inning, batting around and seeing its third man in the lineup bat twice. Liam Scafariello hit a pair of two-run homers in the inning to account for almost half the runs and put the Bobcats in front, 12-4.
UTSA's six-run eighth put the Roadrunners back in contention.
Bowles got the action started with his second long ball of the day. A bases loaded walk to Chris Estrada scored the following run, while a C.J. Pickering sacrifice fly scored the next. Two batters later, Markham blasted a double deep to right, which scored Estrada and Tony Beam. Another bases loaded walk scored the final run for the Roadrunners.
Four Roadrunners registered multiple hits with Bowles finishing the day 3-for-4 with four RBIs, three runs, a double and two home runs. Baker and Brookover each added two hits each.
Jake Harrison (0-1) took the loss for UTSA, as he allowed three runs on three hits. Mike DellaMegdalia (1-0) earned the win in his one-third inning of work.
UTSA will continues its seven-game home stand next weekend when it hosts Stephen F. Austin for a three-game series that is scheduled to begin on Friday, Feb. 24.
