PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – The UTSA softball team split on the final day of competition at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, first falling to Eastern Kentucky, 7-4, before besting Long Beach State, 7-4. Freshman Arlette Hernandez and junior Taryn Madlock were both named to the events' All-Tournament team.
The Roadrunners (2-6) fell to the Colonels (4-5) in game one, with Tayteum Vigansky (2-0) earning the win and Madison Collins (0-2) taking the loss. Junior Samantha Mundine led the way for UTSA at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Redshirt sophomore Makayla Madrid and sophomore Sabrina Wick each posted doubles and drove in a run apiece.
EKU struck first, loading up the bases and scoring a run via a hit batter with two outs in the bottom of the second. Madlock, however, limited the damage with a diving catch, stranding ducks on the pond.
The Colonels added two to their total in the third, and UTSA got one back in the fourth as Madrid double plated Mundine, who reached on a single and swiped second.
Senior Katia Reyes, junior Jaeden Burnham and sophomore Skylar Rucker all singled to crowd the basepaths in the top of the fifth, and a later Wick walk trimmed the deficit to one. Mundine then smashed a base knock into right, driving in two and handing UTSA its first lead of the afternoon.
EKU replied in the sixth, scoring four, and UTSA was unable to spark a rally, falling 7-4.
In game two, Hernandez (2-0) picked up the win after twirling a complete game and allowing only three earned runs. For the Beach (5-3), Jailynn Banda (1-1) was tagged with the loss.
Madlock finished a triple away from the cycle, with a single, a double and a home run in her first three plate appearances. Additionally, in her fourth and final plate appearance, she was intentionally walked.
Reyes joined Madlock in logging three RBIs, and freshman Brookelynn Meador also drove in a run. Madlock, Reyes, Rucker, Wick and Mundine all recorded multiple hits on the afternoon.
The Beach took advantage of a double and a passed ball to take a 1-0 edge in the first.
UTSA threatened in the third, with singles by Madlock, Rucker and freshman Demiree Stafford loading the bases with two outs. Long Beach then induced a groundout to escape the inning unscathed.
The Roadrunners broke through in the fourth, as Madrid singled and Madlock doubled, bringing up Reyes, who sliced one into right field, plating the pair and issuing a 2-1 UTSA edge. The Beach replied in the bottom half, scoring three on an RBI double for a 4-2 advantage.
Wick singled to start the sixth, ahead of a Madrid walk, and a fielder’s choice that brought up Madlock. The junior then drilled one over the wall in right, with the three-run shot flipping the script and putting the Roadrunners up, 5-4.
The squad added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh, as Meador drove in Wick on a sac fly and Reyes scored Mundine on an infield single.
From there, Hernandez kept the opposition off the board, securing the 7-4 victory.
The ‘Runners now turn their attention towards the Roadrunner Classic, which will see UMass Lowell, Northern Colorado and Stephen F. Austin head to San Antonio, with the event spanning Feb. 20-22.
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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