SAN ANTONIO – UTSA built a 5-0 lead, but 22nd-ranked Louisiana Tech rallied to score eight consecutive runs and held on for an 8-7 victory in the Conference USA series opener in front of a facility-record 836 fans on Friday night at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (15-12, 5-4 C-USA) scored two runs in the second and three more in the third to take the early advantage. However, the Bulldogs (23-9, 8-2 C-USA) responded with a run in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the seventh to pull even.
Louisiana Tech then plated three runs in the eighth to take an 8-5 lead.
UTSA pulled within a run in the bottom of the frame, scoring one on Bryan Arias' single and then Trent Bowles drew a walk with the bases loaded to push across a tally. Kent Hasler then entered the game and left the bases loaded after racking up a strikeout to quell the threat.
Chase Keng drew a walk in the bottom of the ninth, but Hasler shut down the game to clinch the win for the Bulldogs.
Hasler worked 1.1 scoreless innings to log his sixth save of the campaign. Graham Ahlrich (1-0) received the win despite allowing two runs in 1.2 stanzas.
Kyrell Miller (2-1) took the loss after giving up three runs in the eighth inning.
Arias and Keng each registered three hits to pace UTSA.
Game two of the series will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Thank you, fans, for setting the record for the largest crowd ever at Roadrunner Field! We didn't get the win, but we appreciate your support. We're back in action on Saturday at 2 p.m.#BirdsUp?? pic.twitter.com/X05nBGMgwH
— UTSA Baseball (@UTSABSB) April 7, 2018