RUSTON, La. — UTSA captured its first Conference USA series win on Saturday after taking the first game by an 8-4 score and then faced its first shutout of the season in the nightcap after dropping a 6-0 decision.
The Roadrunners (14-12, 4-5 C-USA) will begin a six-game home stand against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4.
Game 1: UTSA 8, Louisiana Tech 4
Starting pitcher Tyler Giovanoni had his longest outing in a Roadrunners uniform on Saturday as he worked seven innings on the hill and allowed three runs on five hits to earn the win.
Offensively, UTSA tallied 11 hits with three players registering multiple hits. First baseman Ben Brookover led all hitters with three hits as he went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a double. Meanwhile, Bryan Arias and C.J. Pickering each had two hits and the duo combined for five of the team's eight runs with two and three runs respectively.
UTSA's fourth consecutive win of the season came easily against Louisiana Tech as the Roadrunners scored three runs in just the first two innings. The only other time UTSA scored in back-to-back innings was in the sixth and seventh with two runs each in those frames.
Arias's team-leading eighth home run of the season put the Roadrunners on the board in the opening stanza but the home team matched up with a solo shot of their own.
The Roadrunners used a pair of runs in the top of the second to pull away from the Bulldogs and lead 3-1, but LA Tech responded once again with a run to make 3-2 in favor of the visiting team.
In the top of the fourth, Pickering blasted a first-pitch, leadoff home run over the right center wall to give the Roadrunners some cushion and two innings later, UTSA put up another two runs in the sixth to own a 6-2 advantage. Another two runs in the seventh capped off the scoring for UTSA to capture its first Conference USA series win of the season.
Louisiana Tech's starter Casey Sutton was charged with the loss in his 5.1 innings of action. Sutton was responsible for six runs on eight hits as he matched a career-best five strikeouts.
Game 2: Louisiana Tech 6, UTSA 0
Reliever Nate Harris earned his first start of the season in Game 2 of the doubleheader and masterfully worked a complete game to help Louisiana Tech (18-10, 2-7 C-USA) to victory.
Harris fanned eight batters and walked none handing UTSA its first shutout of the season. The right-hander neared a no-hitter deep into the game but a Mason George leadoff double in the sixth erased that.
However, Pickering was the first base runner for UTSA in the previous inning as he reached via a throwing error by the Bulldogs' shortstop.
The right-hander worked quickly through the UTSA lineup as he struck out the side to start the game.
LA Tech outhit UTSA 10-4 with three of the four hits coming from the bottom of the Roadrunners order.
Roadrunners starter Steven Dressler took the loss in his four innings of work. The southpaw allowed five runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out two.
