HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Consecutive bases-loaded walks in the sixth resulted in a 3-2 setback for UTSA against Marshall at Kennedy Center Saturday.
The Roadrunners fall to 22-25 overall and 10-13 in Conference USA play, while Marshall improved to 24-23 on the season and 11-12 in league play.
Elvis Peralta gave the Thundering Herd 1-0 lead with a two-out homer in the bottom of the first.
Bryan Arias and Dylan Rock put UTSA up 2-1 with solo shots.
Arias' long ball with two outs in the third, extended his home run streak to six games. Rock homered for the second straight game with a two-out blast to left center in the sixth.
After Peralta's homer, Slater Foust, who started on the mound for the Roadrunners, retired 13 of the next Marshall hitters.
In the home sixth, the first two Thundering Herd batters reached with singles, ending Foust's day. After a sacrifice bunt, a strikeout and an intentional walk, Bradley Griggs appeared to slam the door and persevere the Roadrunners lead.
Griggs and his defense headed for the dugout on what appeared to be a called third strike but the home plate umpire ruled the pitch ball four and Zach Inskeep went to first with a game-tying bases-loaded walk. After a second pitching change in the inning, Marshall worked another walk, forcing home the eventual game-winning run.
Neither team pushed across another tally. UTSA threatened in the ninth, registering two walks and a single but Marshall's infield turned a double play, which proved to be crucial.
First pitch of the series finale is at 10:30 a.m. CDT.
