SAN ANTONIO — Kassie James' two-run single in the ninth inning lifted Houston Baptist to a 5-3 victory at UTSA on Tuesday evening at Roadrunner Field.
Kylea Nix had a season-high three hits and an RBI to lead a Roadrunners offense that pounded out 10 hits but left 12 runners on base. Taylor Oberg and Lindsey Stewart added two base knocks apiece.
With the score knotted at three, the Huskies (11-17) got a one-out double to left-center field from Brooke Bushman — one of her three hits on the day — to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Demi Janak then was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced on a ground out by Kay Schroeder. James then stepped to the plate and grounded a 1-1 pitch just past the outstretched glove of UTSA second baseman Hailey Garza and into center field to send both runners home and give the visitors a two-run advantage.
In the bottom of the frame, Kaley Pyles' two-out double just inside the left-field line brought the tying run to the plate for the Roadrunners (14-23), but Houston Baptist reliever Stephanie Buenrostro induced a pop-up off the bat of pinch-hitter Bailee Baldwin to end the game.
Buenrostro (5-3) picked up the win after working six scoreless innings and scattering four hits.
Meanwhile, Chelsea Parker (1-4) took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits in 6.2 frames.
UTSA took an early lead after a sacrifice fly to right by Randee Crawford plated Stewart from third in the bottom of the first.
The Huskies grabbed their first lead of the game in the top of the third when Heidi Jaquez belted a two-run homer to center.
The Roadrunners reclaimed the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Oberg led off with a double down the left-field line and then scored on a single to center by Nix. A base hit by Angelica Nino and walk loaded the bases and Rylee Rodriguez drew a one-out walk to push across the third run of the game for the home side.
After two scoreless frames, Houston Baptist tied things up in their final at-bat.
Libby Brown reached on an error by the shortstop to start the inning and advanced to third on a double to left center by Bushman. Brown then came home with the tying run on a wild pitch before UTSA got out of the jam with two ground outs and a strikeout.
The Roadrunners got the winning run to third base with two down in the seventh in the form of pinch-runner Erica Sanchez, who pinch ran for Rodriguez after she drew a leadoff walk. However, Buenrostro got out of the jam by inducing a pop up in foul territory to send the game into extra innings.
UTSA will return to Conference USA action this weekend when it hosts FIU (31-8, 7-2 C-USA) in a three-game series at Roadrunner Field. First pitch in a Saturday doubleheader is slated for 1 p.m. followed by a single game at the same time the following day.
