SAN MARCOS — Bailee Baldwin went 4 for 4 with an RBI to lead UTSA to a 3-2 victory over Texas State in the opening game of the Bobcat Classic on Thursday evening at Bobcat Field.
Baldwin had a double and three singles to match her career high for hits in a game and help the Roadrunners to their first win against the Bobcats since Feb. 14, 2015. The senior outfielder was joined in the hit column by Celeste Loughman and Riley Grunberg, who each had a single.
Meanwhile, Madison Nelson earned the win in the circle after tossing six innings. The sophomore righthander scattered four hits and allowed just one earned run in the victory.
Clarissa Hernandez picked up the save after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning. With UTSA clinging to a 3-2 lead in the final frame, Texas State loaded the bases after a bunt single, a base hit to left and an intentional walk with two outs. Hernandez induced a popup by Bailee Carter to second baseman Hailey Garza to end the threat and secure the win.
The Bobcats got on the board first with the benefit of a couple of UTSA errors in the bottom of the first inning. Molly Maniani reached second base on a one-out error on the infield, moved to third on an error in right field and scored on a groundout to the shortstop for a 1-0 lead.
The Roadrunners plated three runs on three hits and a pair of walks in the top of the third. Paige Pacher drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a bunt single by Loughman. Baldwin doubled to the gap in right center to push home Pacher and tie the score at 1-1. Victoria Villarreal then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Loughman and give UTSA the lead. Grunberg followed with a base hit down the left-field line to plate Baldwin and make it 3-1.
Texas State cut the deficit in half on a one-out, RBI-single by ArieAnn Bell in the bottom of the sixth, but Nelson got out of the jam with a couple of groundouts, as the Bobcats left nine runners on base on the evening.
Maniani and Christiana McDowell led Texas State with a pair of hits apiece. Meagan King was charged with the loss after allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings.
Tournament officials altered the rest of the Bobcat Classic schedule due to expected inclement weather. The Roadrunners now are off Friday before returning to action on Saturday with games against Abilene Christian at 4 p.m. and North Dakota State at 6 p.m.
