SAN ANTONIO – North Texas collected a 4-2 victory in game one before UTSA rallied for a 9-6 win in game two to split Saturday's Conference USA doubleheader at Roadrunner Field.
Junior Bailee Baldwin hit a pair of home runs, including her first grand slam of the season to record a season-best six RBI in UTSA's second-game victory over NT. Sophomore Rylee Rodriguez also added a home run in the second game for her second long ball of the season.
In the opening contest, the Roadrunners (14-12, 3-2 C-USA) were paced by Rodriguez and freshman Ashlynn Walls with an RBI apiece. Rodriguez registered a pair of singles while Walls recorded a pair of doubles in the game.
Meanwhile, the Mean Green (11-14, 2-3 C-USA) got a complete-game performance from pitcher Hope Trautwein in game one as Katie Clark hit a pair of home runs to fuel the offense in the opening contest.
The rubber match of the series will be played at 1 p.m. (CT) on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
Game 1: North Texas 4, UTSA 2
The Mean Green took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as Clark worked her way to a full count on eight pitches before sending the ninth pitch over the wall for the first home run of the day. North Texas cushioned its lead in the second inning when the Mean Green reached base on three straight-at bats.
Persistent, the Roadrunners answered with two runs of their own off two-out RBI base-hits. Sophomore Celeste Loughman ignited the UTSA surge with a double to left center. Rodriguez followed with a single to left center to score Loughman. UTSA gained its second run off a Walls double to left field, which plated Rodriguez.
North Texas regained the lead in the top of the fifth after back-to-back doubles made it 3-2. The Mean Green got some insurance in the top of the final inning as Clark hit her second long ball to lead off the seventh inning.
Game 2: UTSA 9, North Texas 6
In a wild second contest, UTSA and North Texas each had a player hit two home runs, but a grand slam from Baldwin proved to be the difference maker as UTSA claimed a 9-6 victory. The outfielder went 4-for-4 in the win, posting her 11th and 12th home runs of the season.
After two scoreless frames, North Texas broke the silence with a home run in the top of the third. However, UTSA wasted no time tying the game in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single from freshman Victoria Villarreal.
UTSA took its first lead of the game with a three-run fifth inning fueled by back-to-back home runs from Baldwin and Rodriguez. The inning saw Loughman reach on a single to center field before the pair of home runs.
North Texas responded with five runs in the top of the sixth, headlined by designated hitter Sam Rea's second home run of the game.
Relentless, UTSA battled back with five runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. The Roadrunners used a double from sophomore Kylea Nix, a single from freshman Brycen Blinco, and a North Texas fielding error to load the bases. In the fifth UTSA at-bat, NT's third pitcher of the game, Ally Lindsey hit Loughman to bring in a run for the Roadrunners. With the bases still loaded, Baldwin smacked out a first-pitch grand slam to give UTSA, a 9-6 advantage.
In the seventh inning, UTSA pitcher Madison Nelson used six pitches to close the game as the Mean Green fell in four batters. Nelson (5-6) earned the win, while North Texas's Maria Priest (6-9) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs and a pair of home runs in 5.1 innings of work.
