CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Joshua Lamb and Nick Thornquist each belted home runs but No. 21 Charlotte used a seven-run sixth inning to rally past UTSA baseball in a seven-inning game that served as the opener of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Hayes Stadium.
UTSA (14-14, 6-7 Conference USA) took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning, needing six outs to snap a Charlotte (24-9, 13-1 C-USA) 10-game winning streak. The 49ers rallied with seven runs in the sixth inning to take a 10-5 lead into the final inning, with UTSA scrapping out a run in the final inning for the final margin.
UTSA opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the first and added on with a run in the fourth, before Charlotte rallied to cut the lead with two in the fourth and one in the fifth. UTSA stretched the lead with a run in the fifth and one in the sixth, before the 49ers used the game-winning, seven-run inning in the sixth to rally past the Roadrunners.
UTSA saw Lamb and Thornquist each homer as part of 3-for-4 games. Thornquist hit his team-leading seventh of the year, while Lamb cranked his fourth. Griffin Paxton drove in a pair of runs in a 1-for-3 game, with UTSA getting a two-hit outing from Josh Killeen and Shea Gutierrez. Ran Hunt with 1-for-3 with a walk and Chase Keng drove in a run.
On the mound, UTSA started freshman Kobe Jaramillo, who allowed just two runs in 3.2 innings, surrendering six hits and three walks, striking out three. Lefty Grant Miller worked an inning, allowing a run on two hits and a walk, with two strikeouts. Senior Hunter Mason got an out in the fifth before allowing the first two hitters to reach in the sixth, allowing a pair of runs. Arturo Guajardo (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing six hits and five runs in the sixth inning.
Charlotte starter Austin Marozas, a 6-foot-8 sophomore righty, worked five innings, allowing 10 hits and three walks, surrendering five runs with five strikeouts. The 49ers also used Trae Starns, Andrew Lindsey, Casey Bargo and Christian Lothes in relief with Bargo (1-1) picking up the win with the final out in the sixth.
The series resumed on Saturday with the nightcap of the pair of seven-inning games, with Charlotte getting a homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to post an 11-10 comeback win over the Roadrunners.
- UTSA -
