SAN ANTONIO — UTSA and WKU went toe-to-toe early in the contest, but the visiting Hilltoppers managed to plate a run in the sixth inning and hold off the Roadrunners for a 4-3 victory on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
Both teams pushed across a pair of runs in the opening stanza for a tied score that would last until the third inning. WKU scored its two runs on a Nathan Methvin two-run double, while the Roadrunners' Ben Brookover blasted a two-run home run in the home half of the frame.
A quiet second inning followed with the Hilltoppers adding a run in the third on a leadoff home run by Hunter Wood to give WKU (11-21, 4-7 C-USA) a 3-2 advantage.
The score tied for the second time in the bottom of the fourth after UTSA (15-15, 5-6 C-USA) produced a run with two outs. Skyler Valentine led off the stanza with a four-pitch walk and then scored on a Bryan Arias RBI single.
Toppers starter Paul Kirkpatrick went the distance for his first complete game of the season holding off the Roadrunners in the final five innings. Kirkpatrick allowed three runs on six hits and struck out two with two walks.
In the top of the sixth, WKU scored the go-ahead run with one out on Bryson Smith's RBI single that scored Wyatt Featherston from second.
Right-hander Tyler Giovanoni was responsible for all four WKU runs as he took the loss in 5.1 innings of work. The junior went for a season-best seven strikeouts.
Four of UTSA's six hits came from the top of the order with all but three in the starting lineup registering a hit.
Both teams return to the Bird Bath at noon on Sunday for the rubber game of the series.
