SAN ANTONIO, Texas – UTSA's starting pitcher, Karan Patel, turned in a solid performance Friday but Bradley rallied late in the series opener at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners fell to 6-4 after suffering a 4-3 setback in 11 innings, while the Braves improved to 5-2.
Patel handed the ball over to his bullpen with two outs in the top of the sixth and the Roadrunners leading 2-1. He allowed five hits, just the one run and struck out a season-high seven batters.
Griffin Paxton and Dylon Rock each extended their hitting streaks to 10 games. Jonathan Tapia drew a walk in the third inning and has reached base safely in every contest this season.
After tying the game at 3-3 in the top of the ninth, Bradley pushed across the go-ahead tally in the top of the 11th.
Nick McMurray led off with a liner to center. He stole second on the next pitch and moved to third when an errant throw went into center. After a strikeout, UTSA almost got out of the inning unscathed but a misplay on Brendan Dougherty's pop up allowed McMurray to score from third.
Layton Barry drew a one-out walk in the Roadrunners half of the frame but Brian Schimmer closed the door, retiring the final two batters.
Both teams posted a run in the second. UTSA pushed its lead to 3-1 with solo tallies in the fourth and seventh, before Bradley added single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
Bryan Sturges, who went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Roadrunners, knotted the game at 1-1 when he doubled to left center, scoring Dylan Rock with two outs.
Lamb broke the deadlock in the Roadrunners fourth with a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield, plating Sturges, who reached on a doubled with one out.
Tapia walked and Paxton singled to open the home seventh with runners on the corners and no outs. Tapia gave UTSA an insurance run when he crossed the plate on a double play turned by the defense.
A two-out RBI single by Keaton Rice cut the deficit to 3-2 in the eighth. Down to their final out in the ninth, the Braves got the equalizer on a RBI double by Dougherty.
Rock joined Sturges with multi-hit games for the Roadrunners.
Luke Shadid paced Bradley with a 3-for-6 night, while Connor O'Brien and Keaton record two knocks each.
The middle game of the series is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
