BOCA RATON, Fla. – UTSA pounded out 16 hits, while Chance Kirby allowed one unearned run over 6.2 innings en route to an 8-1 win over No. 26 Florida Atlantic in Sunday's series finale at FAU Baseball Stadium.
"We needed somebody to step up on Sunday," head coach Jason Marshall said. "Chance just came out and pumped a ton of strikes and rolled his breaking ball over. He pitched really well and gave us a chance to win."
Kirby (3-4) struck out six and allowed only two hits in his longest start of the season. The right-hander gave the ball to Derek Craft, who pitched 2.1 scoreless to finish out the game.
"We have a certain game plan for each player and I didn't want to deviate from that," Kirby said. "The hitters were amazing. They've really hit their stride over the past couple of weeks. It's really gratifying to know you have run support. It makes it easier to go out and attack."
Kirby retired the first eight batters he faced, as his offense gave him a three-run lead.
With two outs in the third inning, Diamond Johnson struck out swinging, but reached first base as the slider bounced away from catcher Garrett Moon. After hitting a batter, Kirby needed only three pitches to strike out Joe Montes and end the threat.
He finally surrendered his first hit with two outs in the fourth, as Eric Rivera was able to sneak a single through the middle of the infield.
"He was spotting up his fastballs inside," Moon said of his starting pitcher. "It really was his command of the fastball that got him ahead in counts."
Kirby walked only one batter, but did hit three on inside fastballs. The Austin native, who threw 101 pitches, started 17 of the 28 batters he faced with a strike.
The Roadrunners (18-16, 7-7 C-USA) added a run in the fifth as Chase Keng grounded a single through the middle of the infield and sent Ben Brookover home. Brookover, who reached earlier on a one-out double, gave the Birds a 4-0 advantage.
UTSA tacked on three more in the seventh after tying together four knocks.
Bryan Arias led off the frame with a double down the left-field line. Two batters later Trent Bowles chopped a single into right field that allowed Arias to score. After Brookover was hit by a pitch, Dylan Rock grounded a single to left. Bowles had originally stopped at third base, but was waved home after Johnson overran the ball. Chris Estrada drove in the final run of the panel with a single to left field, scoring Brookover.
The only well-hit ball off Kirby by an Owl batter came in the seventh inning, as Tyler Frank turned on a pitch and doubled down the left-field line. Cody Wilson came all the way around from first to score, cutting UTSA's lead to 7-1 and chasing Kirby from the game.
The Roadrunners then turned to Craft, who got out of the inning by inducing a grounder off Montes' bat on the first pitch.
Craft gave up two singles the rest of the way and struck out three, including the final batter of the series.
UTSA's final run came in the top of the ninth.
Jonathan Tapia came off the bench to register a single. The freshman outfielder then stole second and third before Estrada grounded a single past the drawn-in infield to plate Tapia for the final run of the contest.
Arias led the offensive outburst with a 4 for 5 performance that included a pair of doubles. Estrada was 3 for 5 with two RBIs. Bowles, Brookover and Keng finished with two hits apiece.
The Roadrunners will close out their road trip on Tuesday with a stop at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Chapman Field.
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