HOUSTON –A late rally at Reckling Park falls short, derailing UTSA's bid for a first-ever series sweep of Rice (9-17, 1-5 C-USA) on the diamond.
After taking the first two games in the three-game weekend set, the Roadrunners (11-13, 3-3 C-USA) dropped an 8-6 decision in the series finale Sunday.
Trailing 8-3 with two innings left, UTSA rallied for three runs in the eighth, reducing the deficit to two. Down to their final two outs, the Roadrunners put runners on first and second with an error and a walk in the ninth but Rice's Garret Gayle retired the next two hitters.
Bryan Sturges posted a 3-for-5 day at the plate, including two doubles and a game-tying homer in UTSA's fourth.
Griffin Paxton led off the top of the third with a single and scored on a RBI groundout by Ryan Stacy, giving the Roadrunners the first lead of the game in all three contests.
Rice responded with three runs on two hits and three walks in the bottom of the frame. The first advantage of the series for the Owls was short-lived.
Dylan Rock opened the next frame with a single, extending his hitting streak to 24 games. The streak is the second longest in program history. Sturges followed with his second homer of the season, knotting the game at 3-3.
A two-out single in the sixth plated the go-ahead run for the home side. They added one in the seventh and appeared to have a secure margin at 8-3, after plating three in the eighth.
Sturges started the uprising in the eighth when he doubled with no one on and two outs. Nick Thornquist drove him in with a single to left, before coming around to score himself on Chase Keng's first triple of the season.
Rice brought in Gayle from the 'pen, who loaded the bases with a two-out RBI base hit by Paxton and hitting Chase Hacker with a pitch. A great play by the shortstop prevented any more runs from scoring and getting the home side out of the inning.
Thornquist, Paxton and Aldo Buendia each registered two hits, joining Sturges and Rock with multi-hit performances.
With a 3-1 road trip this week, UTSA heads home and close out March with a four-game home stand. Missouri visits Roadrunner Field for a midweek clash Tuesday at 6 p.m.
- UTSA -
