SAN ANTONIO — Nolan Trabanino retired 17 of the first 19 batters he faced and UTSA used a seven-run fourth inning to upend Stephen F. Austin by a score of 14-1 on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
After jumping out to an early 2-0 lead in the opening frame, the Roadrunners (3-3) went quietly in the next two innings before exploding for a seven-spot in the fourth.
UTSA scored its seven runs on five hits, as the team batted around against the Lumberjacks (2-5).
Aldo Buendia got the inning started on a one-out double and he eventually came around to score on Kevin Markham's at-bat as he reached on a fielding error. On the next at-bat, Skyler Valentine got a base hit to left field to load the bases with one out, while a Mason George hit by pitch drove in the second run.
Stephen F. Austin headed to its bullpen for its first pitching change of the day. but starter Erik Nouis was charged with the loss in his 3.1 innings of work. He allowed seven runs (five earned) on five hits.
Relief pitcher Josh Ponder gave up a double in his first batter faced to Trent Bowles and that scored another two runs for UTSA. A C.J. Pickering sacrifice fly scored the following run, while a two-run base hit by Chris Estrada drove in the final two runs of the inning, scoring Bryan Arias and Bowles.
The Roadrunners scored at least one run in each of the following innings, for the exception of the eighth, and allowed one SFA run in the top half of that inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, UTSA notched another multiple-run inning with three runs after Estrada drove in Arias on a double to left and Jesse Baker blasted a two-run shot over to left center. Baker has now recorded homers in each of his last three games.
Trabanino helped keep the Lumberjacks off the board, as he tossed 6.1 scoreless innings. The Friendswood native gave up just two hits, struck out three and walked one.
All but one starter in the Roadrunners' lineup recorded at least one hit with Baker and Markham notching three hits apiece, while George and Arias each recorded two. Baker and Markham also crossed home plate three times.
UTSA will go for the series sweep at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
