SAN ANTONIO — Keyed by a 10-strikeout performance from Arlette Hernandez, UTSA downed Memphis, 6-3, on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field to complete its second straight three-game conference series sweep and match the 2006 team for the best start to league play in program history.
The Roadrunners improved to 6-0 in American Conference action and 17-12 on the season with their seventh win over the last eight contests. The Tigers dropped to 7-19 overall and 0-6 in the conference.
Hernandez’s season-high strikeout total came over 5.1 innings of work, as the freshman right-hander did not walk or hit a batter and surrendered only three runs on five hits to run her record to 10-4. The Mission, Texas, native fanned five batters in a row over the second and third frames on her way to taming the Tigers’ bats for the second time this series, as she also earned the win in Friday’s opener.
Meanwhile, the UTSA bats pounded out 11 hits and plated six runs in the victory. Brookelynn Meador, Samantha Mundine, Skylar Rucker and Sabrina Wick had two hits apiece to pace the offense.
The Roadrunners scored in the first inning for the third time this series, as Rucker led off with an infield single, stole second and scored on a base hit up the middle by Meador.
UTSA tacked on two runs in the second. Katia Reyes drilled a single to left that plated Mundine, who opened the panel with a triple to the fence in right center, and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left center by Demiree Stafford.
Mundine drove in UTSA’s fourth run in the bottom of the fifth on an infield single that sent home Wick, who singled through the left side of the infield to start the inning.
Memphis broke through for three runs in the top of the sixth and threatened for more before Reagan Stoudt and the UTSA defense shut the door. Ariel Davis’ one-out base hit to center scored a pair of runs and she later scored on a double steal to pull the visitors to within 4-3. With runners at second and third and one out, Reyes fielded a ground ball and threw home to Meador, who tagged out Faith Brown trying to score the tying run. Stoudt then induced a grounder back to the circle off the bat of Taylor Caton and tossed to first to end the threat.
The Roadrunners added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as Madison Hornback sent the first pitch deep over the left-field fence for a home run and a 5-3 advantage. With two outs and a runner at third base, Makayla Madrid then lifted a single to left to drive in Rucker, who reached in a base knock through the right side of the infield.
Stoudt got three groundouts in the top of the seventh, the last with runners at second and third following a hit by pitch and double, to secure her first save of the season. She worked 1.2 innings, allowing just two hits.
Jericho Tate (2-6) took the loss for the Tigers, as she allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in two innings.
The Roadrunners will return to action on Wednesday, March 18, when they travel to Huntsville to take on Sam Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
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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