SAN ANTONIO – Freshman Ava Eldridge and classmate Makayla Madrid dominated as the UTSA softball team picked up an 8-7 victory over Wichita State in American Athletic Conference action on Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (14-15, 2-6 The American) bested the Shockers (14-15, 3-5 The American), with Eldridge (4-2) tossing the final 3.1 innings without surrendering a hit. Madrid, meanwhile, went 4-for-4 with a home run and a pair of RBIs, and junior Katia Reyes was 3-for-4 with a trio of RBIs.
The ‘Runners got on the board first, scoring three in the bottom of the first frame. Freshman Sabrina Wick singled, and classmate Skylar Rucker was plunked before the pair advanced into scoring position on a groundout. From there, Madrid dropped a blooper into left to drive in Wick, and Rucker stole home for a 2-0 advantage. Reyes then blasted a ball off the center field wall, allowing Madrid to dent the plate and put the squad up by three.
The Shockers replied swiftly, scoring three in the top of the second and loading up the bases with two outs. Reyes, however, limited further damage, inducing a fly out to escape the inning.
WSU snagged a one-run lead in the third, but UTSA answered in the home half with Wick knocking in Reyes for a 4-4 tie.
Multiple home runs in the top of the fourth put the Shockers up 7-4, and UTSA got one back in the bottom of the frame on a Madrid long ball.
The ‘Runners cut the deficit to one as sophomore Taryn Madlock worked a leadoff double before trotting home on a Rucker sacrifice in the fifth.
Eldridge tossed a clean top of the sixth, and Madrid poked a single through the left side to kick-start the home half. Senior Lindsey Davis followed with a base knock into right, and a groundout moved them into scoring position. Reyes then smacked a single up the middle, scoring two and delivering an 8-7 Roadrunner edge. Eldridge came back out for the seventh and twirled three more outs to secure the victory.
UTSA will look to secure the series on Sunday, with a 1 p.m. first pitch at Roadrunner Field.
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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