CHARLESTON, W.Va. — UTSA opened Conference USA action with a split of Saturday's double-dip at Marshall. The Roadrunners (9-8) won the first game by a score of 4-2 before dropping a 12-11 decision in the nightcap.
Both teams will return to Appalachian Power Park on Sunday for the rubber game, which is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. (CT).
Game 1: UTSA 4, Marshall 2
UTSA didn't let the 50-minute rain delay effect them, as the Roadrunners picked up a 4-2 win in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Nolan Trabanino pitched effectively through 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on four hits, to earn the win.
Meanwhile, Chris Estrada and Tony Beam combined for six of the Roadrunners nine hits with three each – season bests for both. Beam was a triple shy of the cycle as he went 3-for-3 with a double, home run, a run scored, a walk and RBI. Estrada went down in the scorebook going 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and RBI.
It took four innings before UTSA (9-8) was able to produce a run as Jesse Baker slid across home on Estrada's RBI double. The Roadrunners tacked on another run in the sixth after Estrada singled to center field and made his way to second on a fielding error by Marshall's center fielder. Bryan Arias then drove in Estrada on his base knock.
Marshall (9-7) jumped on the board in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Will Ray. The Thundering Herd scored its final run in the following stanza after UTSA added a pair of insurance runs in the top half, 4-2.
Beam homered for just the second time this season to lead off the seventh for the Roadrunners first run of the inning. Aldo Buendia drew a walk on the ensuing at-bat while Skyler Valentine took a base via hit by pitch. Each runner advanced a base on Kevin Markham's groundout to first and the bases became loaded after Baker was intentionally walked. Trent Bowles then hit into a fielder's choice and scored Buendia.
Right-hander Chris Muller pitched the last 3.1 innings for UTSA and held the Herd to one run on one hit to earn the save, his third. Muller matched a season-best with four strikeouts.
Herd starter Josh Shapiro was charged with the loss in his six innings of on the hill. He allowed two runs on six hits while recording four strikeouts with three walks.
Game 2: Marshall 12, UTSA 11
UTSA entered the top of the ninth trailing Marshall 12-1 and scored 10 runs to come up short by one, 12-11.
The Roadrunners batted around in the inning and scored all 10 runs on three hit by pitches, four walks and four hits.
J.T. Gilmore, who pinch-hit for Markham, led off the inning with a hit by pitch and later moved 90 feet on a wild pitch. Baker then reached safely after the Herd's shortstop bobbled the ball and the bases became loaded after Mason George singled up the middle.
Pinch-hitter Geonte Jackson took a hit by pitch and he drove in the first run of the inning plating Gilmore. A wild pitch by relief pitcher Zac McNeel opened up a base after Baker crossed home plate. Arias then took a full-count walk to load the bases once again and a pinch-hit single by Trent Bowles scored the third run of the inning (George).
Back-to-back walks to Ben Brookover and Valentine and a second hit by pitch to Gilmore scored the next three runs for UTSA. Herd reliever Jacob Niggemeyer, the fifth arm of the inning for Marshall, balked to score Brookover before recording the first out of the inning on a strikeout. The bases were loaded for the final time of the inning after George walked on four straight pitches. Arias drove in the final two runs of the inning on a 2-RBI single.
Game 2 of the doubleheader was the second time this year the Roadrunners have rallied late in the game.
Marshall kept UTSA off the board through six straight innings behind the pitching performance of Wade Martin. The right-hander worked seven innings for the win and allowed one run on five hits.
UTSA avoided a shutout late in the game off a solo home run by Baker in the seventh inning.
After MU scored three runs in the third, the Herd had a breakout inning in the sixth as they plated six runs. MU batted around and even saw 10 different batters in the inning after Andrew Zban replaced Billy Sager on the base paths and made a plate appearance.
In the bottom of the eighth, Marshall added another three runs to its lead to hold a 12-1 advantage.
Tyler Giovanoni was tagged with the loss in his 5.1 innings on the hill. The Schertz native allowed six runs on eight hits.
