SAN ANTONIO – Freshman Hannah Boring hit a two-run homer to help UTSA rally to a 6-4 victory in game one, but Southern Miss registered a 5-0 win in game two to split a Conference doubleheader on Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
The blast was Boring's second of the season and UTSA's 29th long ball of the year. Sophomore Celeste Loughman also recorded a home run, while junior Bailee Baldwin, freshman Celeste Borza, and Victoria Villarreal each recorded a double.
Game 1: UTSA 6, USM 4
In the opener, UTSA used a two-run bottom of the eighth inning and a strong pitching performance from senior Lizzy Fox (11-9) to down the Golden Eagles (17-31, 6-11 C-USA), 6-4.
The squads opened the series with three scoreless innings before Southern Miss scored all four of its runs in the top of the fourth inning off of three hits.
UTSA responded and scored in each of the next innings to tie it up 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh taking the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, sophomore Kylea Nix lead off with a single up the middle, while Loughman collected with a home run over the right center fence.
Cutting USM's lead to two (4-2), a single from Villarreal and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for the Roadrunners in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Candice Hadd beat a fielder's choice as she outran a throw from right field to home plate to score UTSA's third run.
A double from Borza in the bottom of the seventh drove in the tying run for UTSA to send the game into extra innings.
The Roadrunners capitalized on the extra frames with Boring's two-run homerun to left field to clinch the first game of the series for the Roadrunners.
Game 2: Southern Miss 5, UTSA 0
The nightcap remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when Brown hit a leadoff solo homerun over the left field wall to put the Golden Eagles up 1-0.
The hitting continued in the top of the sixth inning when USM's Destini Brown knocked a three-run dinger to left field after Nelson drove in Southern Miss's second run with an RBI single.
Leading 5-0, the visitors retired the next six UTSA batters in order to seal the win.
In the contest the Roadrunners collected a pair of hits from Villarreal and one from Ashlynn Walls, while Madison Nelson led UTSA in the circle. Pitching a full seven innings, the freshman yielded only one walk in the 30 batters she faced.
UTSA and Southern Miss will close the series with a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
