SAN ANTONIO -- A four-run first inning supported a strong start from Palmer Wenzel, leading UTSA baseball to a series-clinching 9-5 win over Dartmouth in the finale of the four-game series, on a perfect Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (5-3) posted the series win over Dartmouth (1-3), bouncing back after a 4-3 loss in the opener to outscore the Big Green 22-3 in a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. The Roadrunners exploded for four runs in the first inning, traded single runs with Dartmouth in the sixth and plated three in the sixth inning.
The Roadrunners have now won five of their last six games after opening the year with a pair of setbacks.
A native of Boerne, Texas, Wenzel (2-0) was splendid in his second start of the year. A relief force in 26 games as a junior, Wenzel improved to 8-2 in his career. He worked a career-long 7.2 innings, allowing four runs – one earned – walking one and striking out six on 105 pitches.
After an error led to a pair of unearned runs and placed two in scoring position with two outs in the eighth, Jake Harrison took over in relief in the eighth. He hit a batter and walked one before giving way to lefty Connor Heffron, who stranded the bases loaded. Cameron Carver worked the ninth.
Big Green freshman right-handed starter Nathan Skinner (0-1) made his NCAA debut and worked five innings, allowing nine hits and five runs. Lefty Michael Parsons opened the sixth inning in relief and worked an inning before giving way to Max Hunter.
Offensively, UTSA eight of nine UTSA position starters collected hits, a day after each starter had at least one hit in both games of a doubleheader sweep. Catcher Nick Thornquist had three hits, with first baseman Taylor Barber driving in three with two knocks. Jonathan Tapia and Bryan Arias each had two hits. Griffin Paxton, Dylan Rock, Bryan Sturges, Chase Keng and Shane Sirdashney each had knocks.
The Roadrunners will travel to face No. 23 Texas on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Disch-Faulk Field in a game televised live on Longhorn Network and the ESPN app.
UTSA plated four runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead. Tapia led off with a single to leftfield, moving into scoring position after Arias dropped a single into shallow left. Rock doubled down the leftfield line to score the pair with Barber splitting the gap in right-centerfield to score Rock. Thornquist followed with an RBI double into right-centerfield, allowing Barber to score.
The Big Green got on the board in the top of the fifth inning, getting a leadoff double from Trevor Johnson, who took third on a productive groundout and scored on an Ubaldo Lopez groundout.
UTSA immediately got the run back in the bottom of the frame, getting a two-out hit from Thornquist, who scored from first on a double Sturges, dropped into the gap in shallow right-centerfield.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, UTSA plated a three two-out runs on four hits to take an 8-1 lead. Tapia started the rally with a two-out double down the leftfield line, scoring on a single from Paxton. After Arias legged out an infield single and Rock drew a walk to load the bases, Barber one-hopped the wall down the leftfield line, scoring a pair.
Dartmouth plated three unearned runs in the eighth to chase Wenzel and cut the lead to 8-3. Kade Kretzschmar reached on a one-out error and Brett McCaskill singled to left. After Sean Sullivan drew a walk to load the bases and Matt Feinstein struck out, Nate Ostmo doubled home a pair of runs. Harrison loaded the bases with a walk and plunked home a third run in the frame.
Arias painted a double down the leftfield line with one out in the eighth and scored after an RBI pinch-hit single from Keng.
Dartmouth got the run back after a leadoff walk and RBI double in the ninth.
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