SAN ANTONIO – A three-run homer in the 10th inning, lifted Southern Miss to a 13-9 win over UTSA baseball in a seven-inning opener of a Friday doubleheader at Roadrunner Field.
UTSA (11-10, 3-3 Conference USA) rallied from down two with a three-run third and added a run in the fourth on a Taylor Barber blast to take a two-run lead into the fifth. The Eagles used the four-run fifth inning to rally from behind to claim the take the lead and added on with two in the sixth.
UTSA rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning, plating four runs to force extra innings. Billy Garrity collected his first career hit in dramatic fashion, hitting a 0-1 pitch over the fence in right-centerfield to push the Golden Eagles to the 9-8 lead.
Josh Killeen – making his second career start and entering the game hitless in three at-bats – belted a game-tying homer in the eighth inning.
The Golden Eagles took a three-run lead on a three-run blast from Will McGillis, his second of the year, in the 10thinning, adding a fourth run in the frame on a two-out single.
Barber and Killeen each owned blasts to highlight the offensive attack for the Roadrunners. Senior Griffin Paxton extended his hitting streak to nine games with a knock in the seventh. Dylan Rock had a 2-for-4 game and Nick Thornquist went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Killeen added a double and a homer.
UTSA starter Grant Miller worked 2.1 innings, allowing four hits and two runs, walking four and striking out one. After a pair of walks and a RBI single in the third, UTSA turned to Luke Malone in relief of Miller. Malone worked 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk, striking out two.
Arturo Guajardo came on to replace Malone in the fifth, working 1.2 innings, allowing four hits and three runs, walking one and striking out three. Daniel Garza got the last out in the sixth and worked a shutout seventh, striking out five in 2.1 innings, allowing a run on three hits and a walk.
Hunter Mason (3-4) came on in relief to open the ninth inning, allowing six hits and four runs in two innings, striking out three.
Southern Miss (16-9, 3-3 C-USA) starter Walker Powell worked five innings, allowing four runs – two earned on five hits and two walks, striking out four. Tanner Hall worked the sixth and opened the seventh with three straight reaching before USM called on Garrett Ramsey worked the seventh, allowing two hits and a run, walking one. Matthew Adams opened the eighth inning, getting an out but allowing a game-tying homer and a one-out single. Ryan Och (3-0) came on with a runner on first and one out in the eighth and spun a gem, working the final 2.2 innings for the win.
The series will resume on Friday with a nightcap of the doubleheader.
Reed Trimble gave the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead in the first inning, hitting his sixth homer of the year out to leftfield.
The Golden Eagles rallied in the third to chase Miller, getting four-pitch walks issued to Charlie Fischer and Christopher Sargent to open the inning. After a fly out, Danny Lynch singled through the left side, allowing Fischer to score.
UTSA struck in the bottom of the third, as Killeen doubled with one out down the leftfield line, his first career hit. After an out, Rock lined a two-strike single into rightfield, allowing Killeen to score the first run of the game. After a Rock steal and a walk to Bergeron, Thornquist hit a grounder up the middle and the throw to first sailed wide, allowing Rock to motor home with the tying run. After a walk from Keng loaded the bases, Lamb legged out an infield single to score Bergeron for a 3-2 lead.
Barber smashed the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth out to leftfield, his first homer of the year.
The Golden Eagles plated four runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead, getting two walks and three hits, including a two-run homer from Sargent and a two-run single from Gabe Montenegro.
Lynch belted a two-run homer to take the USM lead to 8-4 in the sixth.
UTSA rallied in the seventh inning, getting a leadoff single from Paxton, a hit by pitch from Rock and a single from Bergeron to force the Golden Eagles to call on Ramsey. Thornquist then smashed a two-run single into centerfield, scoring Rock and Bergeron to cut the lead to 8-7. Keng followed with a single up the middle, with Thornquist taking third with no outs. Lamb then forced home the tying run with a ground-ball double play.
In the top of the eighth, Billy Garrity gave USM a 9-8 lead with a solo, two-out homer out to right-centerfield, his first career hit.
In the bottom of the eighth, Killeen evened the game at nine with a solo shot out to leftfield, his first career homer.
McGillis hit his second homer of the year in the top of the 10th inning, a three-run shot to give Southern Miss a 12-9 lead. A RBI single from Montenegro stretched the lead to 13-9.
GAME NOTES: Grant Miller made his sixth appearance and his third start … R-Sophomore Luke Malone appeared in his sixth game of the year and his first in relief and has appeared in 10 games with six starts in his career … R-Freshman C Josh Killeen doubled for the first time in his career, marking his first career hit … Junior CF Dylan Rock stole his fourth base of the year and the 22nd of his career … Senior 3B Taylor Barber hit his first homer of the year and the third of his career … Senior RHP Arturo Guajardo worked in his fifth game of the year … Senior DH Kyle Bergeron has reached base safely in 16 straight games … Junior SS Joshua Lamb has reached base safely in 16 straight games … Freshman RHP Daniel Garza worked in his seventh game of the year … Senior 1B Griffin Paxton has a team-leading nine-game hitting streak … Rock was hit by his fifth pitch of the year and the 25th of his career … This was UTSA's third extra-inning game of the year … Senior RHP Hunter Mason worked in his eighth game of the year and the 53rd of his career.
- UTSA -
