SAN ANTONIO – Southern Miss used a five-run second and a three-run third to power past UTSA baseball 11-5 in the nightcap of a pair of seven-inning games on Friday evening at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (11-11, 3-4 Conference USA) fell in the third straight game of the four-game series with Southern Miss as the Golden Eagles opened up the game with five runs in the second and three in the third.
It came immediately following a 10-inning game that was scheduled for seven in the opener and saw the Roadrunners rally with four in the bottom of their last at-bat to force extra innings but ultimately ended with a four-run 10th inning for the Golden Eagles. USM claimed the opener on Thursday night, 9-1.
The Roadrunners got a homer from Chase Keng – his fourth of the year – to highlight the offense. UTSA also got a double from Griffin Paxton, extending his hitting streak to a team-leading 10 games. Austin Ochoa added a run-scoring single in the seventh.
UTSA freshman starter Simon Miller (2-1) suffered the loss, working four innings, allowing six hits and nine runs – four earned – walking five and striking out five. Jay Ward opened the fifth inning, working three innings, allowing three hits and two runs, walking two and striking out two.
Southern Miss (17-9, 4-3 C-USA) starter Ben Ethridge (2-1) worked six innings, allowing two hits and two runs, walking three and striking out nine. Tyler Lantz worked the seventh.
The series will conclude at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
UTSA struck first in the bottom of the first inning, getting a leadoff double into the left-centerfield gap from Paxton, who motored home on a pair of wild pitches. After an out, Keng smashed his fourth homer of the year, a no-doubt blast out to left-centerfield for a 2-0 UTSA lead.
A leadoff error in the second inning led to five unearned runs in the frame, including a three-run triple from Dustin Dickerson.
Homers from Danny Lynch and Blake Johnson opened up the game in a three-run third inning for the Golden Eagles.
The Eagles added a single run in the fourth, fifth and seventh.
Ochoa's RBI single in the seventh scored Ian Bailey to cut the lead to 11-3. UTSA added two more runs on a wild pitch and a RBI groundout from Rock.
GAME NOTES: Freshman RHP Simon Miller worked in his sixth game and made his third start … Sophomore DH Garrett Poston made his first career start … Junior RF Chase Keng hit his fourth homer of the year and the seventh of his career … Senior 1B Griffin Paxton has a team-leading 10 game hitting streak … Senior LF Kyle Bergeron has reached base safely in 17 straight games.
- UTSA -
