SAN ANTONIO – Home runs in the sixth inning in both games pushed the Roadrunners past Middle Tennessee in the doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
UTSA won the first game 5-4 and the second 6-5 to claim the series. The Roadrunners improve to 14-11, 5-0 C-USA and the Blue Raiders fall to 14-13, 0-2 C-USA.
Game 1
Middle Tennessee was on the board early with a home run to left field in the top of the second.
The Blue Raiders added three more runs in the third to take a 4-0 lead. Sydney Heath singled to left center and Jocelynn De La Cruz singled passed the second baseman, advancing runners. Lexi Cushing hit a homer, scoring De La Cruz and Heath. In the bottom of the frame. Kindell Brooks opened the inning with a solo home run to left field. MT led 4-1 after the third.
The Blue Raiders left one on, while the Roadrunners had two hits and left two on through the fifth.
Marena Estell pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. Madison Washington hit a single to left center and Hailey Garza was walked to open the bottom of the inning. Paige Pacher and Bailee Baldwin were walked as Elexus Trenkle (pinch runner) scored. Riley Grunberg singled up the middle as Baldwin advanced to third and Pacher and Garza scored. Baldwin reached home on a wild pitch as the Roadrunners took the lead, 5-4.
Middle Tennessee ended the game with one hit and two left on.
Marena Estell picked up her second win of the season, pitching four innings and allowing just one hit.
Game 2
Opening the game, Summer Burgess singled up the middle and Sydney Heath reached on a fielder's choice. Lani Rodriguez hit a sac bunt to advance runners to scoring position. A sacrifice fly from Jocelynn De La Cruz scored Burgess as the Blue Raiders got on the board.
Through the next one and a half innings, the Roadrunners had two hits and left three on, while MT had one hit with one left on.
In the top of the third. Burgess was walked and Heath followed with a sac bunt. Rodriguez singled to left as runners advanced and Burgess scored. Lexi Cushing followed with a home run to center field as De La Cruz and Rodrugiez reached home. The Blue Raiders led 5-0 going to the bottom of the frame. Bailee Baldwin was walked for the second time on the day and Kindell Brooks hit her second home run of the day as UTSA closed to the gap to three (2-5).
Victoria Villarreal opened the bottom of the sixth as she was hit by a pitch. Kaitlin Lopez walked and Hailey Garza followed with a sac bunt to advance runners. Madison Washington homered to right center as Lopez and Boring (pinch runner) scored to take the lead, 6-5. Estell pitch a 1-2-3 inning to end the game.
Estell garnered her second win of the day after pitching 4.2 innings and allowing just two hits and had one walk.
The Roadrunners return to action tomorrow for the final game of the series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
-UTSA-
