RUSTON, La. –The opposition's timely hitting proved too much for UTSA to overcome Sunday at Patterson Park at J.C. Love Field.
The Roadrunners fall to 14-18 overall and 5-7 in Conference USA play with the 6-3 loss, while Louisiana Tech improved to 21-10 overall and 8-4 in league action.
Bryan Arias knocked in two for UTSA with a RBI double, the 53rdof his career, pulling him even with Jeff Juarez for the third most in program history.
Both teams registered 11 hits and every run in the contest came with two outs. The Bulldogs delivered more in the clutch, going 7-for-15 with two outs and 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position. UTSA converted five of its 14 opportunities with two outs but was just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base.
LA Tech jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run in each of the first two innings.
Taylor Young led off the game with a single for the Bulldogs but was erased when the Roadrunners starter Shane Daughety induced a grounder to shortstop and the infield turned a double play. The home team responded with three-consecutive base knocks and took a 1-0 edge. In the next frame, Young lined back through the box, plating another run for his team.
Bryan Sturges pulled UTSA within one at 2-1 in the fifth, slashing a double into the left field corner and Ryan Stacy scored from second. Sturges leads the team with 13 two-baggers after smacking four in the three-game set.
Hunter Mason worked 3.2 innings in relief of Daughety allowing just two hits but LA Tech's clean-up hitter Parker Bates restored the two-run advantage with a solo shot off him in the home half of the frame.
Young pushed the lead to four when he singled in the sixth, scoring two.
Trailing 5-1 in the eighth, Garret Moon opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on a base-on-balls by Jonathan Tapia. After the second out of the frame, Arias split the outfielders and doubled off the wall in left center, plating both runners.
With the lead down to two, the Bulldogs' Kyle Griffen was summoned from the bullpen and he coaxed a fly ball off the bat of Stacy, ending the threat.
Once again, Young delivered a two-out RBI single, making it 6-3 after eight. Braxton Smith worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the home side, earning his third save of the weekend.
Stacy went 3-for-5 at the plate, while Arias, Sturges and Moon accounted for two hits each. Tapia reached three of his four plate appearances, adding a hit-by-pitch and walk to go along with a double.
Young went 4-for-5 from the lead-off spot in the Bulldogs order, driving in four of the teams six runs. Logan Bailey improved to 4-3, tossing the first six innings for LA Tech and allowing one run on eight hits.
UTSA returns to Roadrunner Tuesday for the first of a four-game home stand. First pitch against Lamar is at 6 p.m.
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