SAN MARCOS, Texas — The UTSA softball team suffered a pair of extra innings defeats on Day Two of the Texas State Tournament, first dropping a 6-5 battle to Southern Illinois before falling 3-1 to Kennesaw State.
The Roadrunners (0-4, 0-0 The American) battled all day, as freshman Sophie Campbell starred, going 4-for-7 with a quartet of RBIs and a double. UTSA also saw a stellar pitching performance from senior Jamie Gilbert, who twirled 3.2 innings with three strikeouts and two hits allowed.
Game One vs Southern Illinois
The Roadrunners took the Salukis into extra innings but narrowly fell 6-5 after bouncing back from a four-run deficit. Campbell shined in the effort, going 3-for-4 from the plate with four RBIs and a double. Junior Jaylen Prichard joined Campbell in the multiple-hit club, smacking two hits and scoring two runs.
Senior Kenzie Schultz (0-2) was tagged with the loss despite putting in a solid shift, tossing 4.2 innings and allowing just one hit. Meanwhile, Maddia Groff (2-0) was awarded the win for SIU.
The Salukis struck first, scoring three in the top of the first, but the 'Runners quickly answered as Campbell plated senior Erykah Guerrero with an infield single for a 3-1 score line entering the second stanza.
SIU extended its lead to four after capitalizing on a pair of UTSA miscues in the top of the third. The Roadrunners again answered as Prichard smacked a leadoff single ahead of a junior Camryn Robillard walk and a senior Taylor Jensen single that loaded the bases. Campbell then picked up two more RBIs with a double up the middle, which saw the Saluki edge cut to two.
UTSA knotted things up in the bottom of the fourth, putting up a crooked number in a rally that began with a Prichard single and a pair of walks. Guerrero logged an RBI groundout, scoring sophomore Caton Letbetter, who pinch-ran. Jensen was issued a free pass, reloading the bases, and Campbell laced a single up the middle that plated Prichard.
Schultz logged four scoreless frames, as neither team could break the 5-5 deadlock, prompting extra innings.
The battle raged on as SIU pushed across its ghost runner to take a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth. UTSA moved sophomore Madison Lenton into scoring position in their half of the frame, but the threat did not come to pass as the Salukis secured a 6-5 extra-inning victory.
Game Two vs Kennesaw State
UTSA kept the opposition off the scoreboard for the first seven innings of the contest but fell 3-1 at the hands of the Owls in their second extra-innings matchup of the day. Senior Kenzie Schultz (0-3) was issued the loss for the Roadrunners, and Kenley Hilleary (1-0) the win for KSU.
The Owls loaded up the bases with one out in the top of the first and looked to take an early lead before freshman Haley Carmona induced a 5-3-2 double play, keeping the game scoreless. Gilbert then relived Carmona following a leadoff double in the second and clamped down, stranding the runner in scoring position.
Neither team put together a rally across the subsequent three frames, as Gilbert kept the Owls off the scoreboard, scattering two hits over 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.
Schultz entered the game in the top of the fifth and ran into trouble in the sixth, as the Owls loaded the bases with no outs. A fielder's choice ground ball prevented a runner from scoring, and Schultz induced a pop-up and groundout to exit the frame unscathed.
Neither team could gain an inch down the stretch, as the 'Runners went to extra innings in their second contest of the day. A bunt single and a UTSA miscue allowed the Owls to add a run before a two-run home run built a 3-0 Owl lead.
Freshman Brenna Jahn stole third and came around to score on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth, delivering the Roadrunner's first run of the ballgame. The squad, however, could not complete the comeback, falling 3-1.
The Texas State Tournament will conclude on Saturday, as UTSA is slated to face Creighton with a 7 p.m. first pitch at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.
Keep up with UTSA Softball all season long on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSASB, X (Twitter) @UTSASoftball, and on Instagram @utsasoftball.
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