GREENVILLE, N.C.— The UTSA softball team first suffered a 2-1 defeat before falling 8-6 to East Carolina across an American Conference doubleheader at Joyner Family Stadium.
The Roadrunners (23-31, 11-15 American) couldn’t outlast the Pirates (31-24, 15-11 American) in game one as freshman Arlette Hernandez (13-14) threw a complete game with five strikeouts in the loss, while Julia Apostolakos (16-11) earned the win.
ECU put up a crooked number in the first to take an early lead, and from there things were quiet until a junior Taryn Madlock solo shot in the fourth saw a 2-1 score line.
Looking to rally in the top of the seventh, redshirt sophomore Makayla Madrid walked, and junior Samantha Mundine singled to put two on with no outs. Back-to-back strikeouts followed, ahead of the final out, ending the threat and cementing a 2-1 ECU win.
The ‘Runners fell, 8-6 in game two, with sophomore Kaylie Olivarez (1-1) was pegged with the loss and Taylor Apple earned the win (6-4) while Aposolakos (3) picked up a save.
The Pirates used a solo home run in the second to grab an early edge, and a three-run bomb in the third extended their advantage to four.
UTSA got two back in the fourth, as sophomore Sabrina Wick singled before scoring on a Meador double. Moments later, Mundine smashed one up the middle, plating Meador for a 4-2 score line.
Freshman Demiree Stafford singled to start the fifth, ahead of a senior Caton Letbetter sac bunt and a Rucker single that put runners on the corners. Wick then singled, scoring Stafford, and Rucker came around on a Madlock sac fly to tie the contest, 4-4.
ECU bounced back, with a four-run bottom of the fifth putting them back in front, 8-4.
Mundine went yard to start the sixth, and UTSA looked to spark a comeback in the seventh with consecutive walks by Wick and Madlock, followed by a Meador single that juiced the bases with no outs. The Pirates induced a popout, and Mundine was issued a free pass, plating Wick. A base runner left early on a flyout, ending the contest and securing an 8-6 ECU victory.
The squads will meet once more, with the regular series finale set for 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at Joyner Family 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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