SAN ANTONIO — Tyler Giovanoni tossed his first complete game of the season and the seventh of his career to lead UTSA past Middle Tennessee by a score of 3-2 in Friday's series opener at Roadrunner Field.
Giovanoni struck out five batters, walked one and allowed just two runs on six hits, as the right-handed junior from Schertz improved to 3-3 on the season.
Offensively, UTSA (23-21, 11-11 C-USA) registered eight hits and produced runs in the third and fifth innings.
Middle Tennessee (20-25, 7-15 C-USA) drew first blood with a run in the third after Chaz Vesser scored on a sacrifice fly.
UTSA matched up in the home half on Bryan Arias' RBI double that brought Kevin Markham home. The extra base hit was the second for Arias in the early going.
The Roadrunners broke the tie two innings later for a score that held all the way until the ninth.
Markham doubled to start off the inning and then was 90 feet from scoring following Trent Bowles' sacrifice bunt. Arias, who walked after Markham's at-bat, scored along with Markham when Ben Brookover ripped a double down the first-base line.
Giovanoni held the Blue Raiders off the board for the next five innings.
However, Middle Tennessee cut into the Roadrunners' lead on a solo home run by Ryan Kemp. A throwing error with one out put a runner on, but a pop up and ground out retired the side and secured the win for UTSA.
Arias and Brookover accounted for half the team's hits with two each, while Markham crossed home plate twice. Both of Arias' hits went for doubles, while Brookover tallied a pair of RBIs.
The weekend series will continue at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
