SAN ANTONIO — Lizzy Fox tossed her second straight complete game and Erica Sanchez and Lindsey Stewart had two hits apiece to lead UTSA to a 4-2 victory against Louisiana Tech in Conference USA softball action on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field
Fox struck out two and allowed two runs on seven hits in the win. The junior right-hander ran her record to 13-15 on the year with her second straight victory against the Lady Techsters (30-18, 13-5 C-USA).
Meanwhile, Sanchez and Stewart led an offense that pounded out nine hits to help the Roadrunners (19-28) improve to 9-12 in the league and stay in the race for one of the eight spots in the C-USA Championship next month. UTSA entered the day in ninth place.
LA Tech got on the board first with a run on three hits in the top of the first inning. Jazlyn Crowder led off with a base hit to left field and moved to second on a single through the left side of the infield by Morgan Turkoly. Pauline Tufi then drilled a base hit to right field to send home Crowder.
UTSA answered with a run in the home half of the first. Stewart legged out an infield single and advanced to second on a single up the middle by Angelica Nino. After a foulout, Kaley Pyles's bloop single just inside the line behind first base loaded the bases. Randee Crawford then lifted a fly ball to center that easily scored Stewart from third and knotted the score.
The Roadrunners plated three runs in their next at-bat. Sanchez got things going with a leadoff double to center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Oberg. Stewart then lifted a single into left field to give UTSA a lead it would never relinquish. Stewart stole second and Bailee Baldwin gave the home side a three-run cushion with her 10th home run of the season, a deep blast into the trees beyond the fence in right field that chased starting pitcher Jenny Chapman.
LA Tech cut the deficit to 4-2 with a run in the fifth. Tori Charters led off the frame with a triple down the left-field line and scored on a base hit to left by Turkoly.
Fox and the UTSA defense worked out of a jam in the sixth, as Marilyn Rizzato singled with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. Fox induced a popup to shortstop and then Oberg chased down a fly ball in the right-field corner to end the threat.
The Roadrunners retired the side in order in the seventh to clinch their fourth straight league series win at home.
Chapman (2-4) allowed four runs on six hits in 1.2 innings and was tagged with the loss. Turkoly led the LA Tech offense with two hits and an RBI.
The Roadrunners will return to action at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, when they travel to San Marcos to face Texas State (34-11).
