SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA baseball team dropped both ends of the doubleheader to Rice on Saturday at Roadrunner Field. The Owls posted an 8-3 win in the opener and then claimed a 4-3 decision in the nightcap to clinch the series.
The Roadrunners (25-20, 11-11 C-USA) fell behind in the second game 3-0 before Bryan Arias his a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to tie the contest.
An errant pickoff attempt in the top of the eighth allowed Rice (20-25-2, 9-12-2 C-USA) to get a runner to third base. Justin Collins then chopped a singled past a drawn-in infield, which allowed Braden Comeaux to score the go-ahead run.
Dane Acker (3-1) shut down UTSA over the final 2.1 with three strikeouts to earn the win.
In the opening game of the series, the Owls scored four runs in the top of the third inning. The Roadrunners responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame, including a pair on Ryan Stacy's triple.
Both teams went scoreless over the next four stanzas.
The Owls loaded the bases in the eighth before Trei Cruz was walked to push across a run. Comeaux then logged a two-run single to push the lead to 7-3. Rice added one more run in the ninth.
Matt Canterino (5-4) earned the win after giving up only one earned run in seven innings. The right-hander also fanned 10.
The series finale will be played at 2 p.m. Sunday.
