SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Another victory for the UTSA softball team (6-17, 2-0 C-USA) over the UTEP Miners (8-14, 0-2 C-USA) gave the Roadrunners their first Conference USA series victory of the season, marking back-to-back years with a league-opening series win over the Miners. With the wind blowing away, it was a big-hitting day all-around, but UTSA strung together three high-scoring frames to blast their way to an 11-8 victory at Roadrunner Field – paced by a pair of fresh faces to this year's lineup.
Despite the end result, it was the Miners first reaching the scoreboard, as Caitlyn Brockaway's RBI double into right center brought in Savannah Favre for the Miner's opening gambit in the first frame.
At first, UTEP starter Aalijah Alarcon had the Roadrunners cornered, but the next pass through the lineup wasn't nearly so favorable. But first, the bottom of the lineup got things moving for UTSA, as grad transfer Sammy Dees put up the first base hit of the afternoon. Junior shortstop Kat Ibarra followed quickly with a double into center. Freshman left fielder Lilly Hood pulled a full count ball to left field, going yard off the left field scoreboard and putting the Roadrunners in front, 3-1.
The Miners answer was swift and damaging, as UTEP collected home runs for Peyton Angulo, Rylan Dooner and Ajia Richard to account for four runs, swing the pendulum back in their favor and retire UTSA starter Jamie Gilbert after just 3.1 innings.
Reliever Reagan Smith quickly turned the temperature down on defense, stopping the push. Then the UTSA hitters went to work to make the deficit short-lived. After sophomore Camryn Robillard produced a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth, junior catcher Erykah Guerrero squared the first pitch she saw beyond the fence in left center, tying the game with a two-shot home run – retiring Alarcon in favor of Kaylee Hewitt.
The Roadrunners weren't any kinder to Hewitt, drawing consecutive walks to get started and a then third by senior Marena Estell that loaded the basepath. Staying alert, Dees scored from third when a pitch got past Brockaway into the backstop to reclaim the lead at 6-5. Nearly recording a home run of her own over the batter's eye, junior first baseman Taylor Jensen settled for a two-run single off the center field fence, capping off a five-run inning that pulled UTSA in front, 8-5.
Smith kept the Miners under control into the final stretch, sitting down seven consecutive batters before UTEP gained enough traction to mount a comeback attempt in the seventh. Two walked batters increased the potential threat, as Favre smacked the game's sixth home run to center field, slicing the Roadrunner lead down to three runs.
The Roadrunners kept pouring it on thanks to an RBI single from Estell that scratch Hood across, followed by a two-run single to right center for Jensen. Sophie Campbell rounded out the 11-run effort by giving herself up to score Emily Dear on an infield groundout.
In the final frame, the UTSA outfield finished the job. First, Hood made a diving grab on Angulo's line drive to right field, then senior Ciarra Mata snagged another line drive to left for the decisive out, sending the game final in an 11-8 UTSA victory.
Newcomers this season, Hood and Jensen both made their presence very known to the Miners. Hood went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs, while Jensen was also 2-for-4 with three RBI. Guerrero added a 2-for-3 performance with two runs and a score, while Estell was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run. The quartet accounted for eight of UTSA's 12 hits, combining for nine RBI. In total, eight Roadrunners tallied base hits and only allowed four strikeouts.
A freshman from Santa Fe, Texas, Smith (3-5) produced her second-consecutive day with a victory, tossing. 3.2 innings with three runs allowed on two hits and two walks, striking out three Miners. Taking the loss for UTEP, Hewitt (1-2) threw just 0.2 innings with three runs on one hit and three walks.
The Roadrunners will pursue their first conference series sweep since 2021 (when C-USA played four-game sets) on Sunday with a noon first pitch against the Miners at Roadrunner Field.
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