GREENVILLE, N.C.— The UTSA softball team first took down Memphis, 8-6, before falling to North Texas, 7-6, in the Second Round of the 2026 American Softball Championship on Wednesday at Joyner Family Stadium.
The No. 7 seed Roadrunners (24-33, 11-16 American) beat the No. 10 seed Tigers (18-39, 6-21 American) in game one, with freshman Arlette Hernandez (14-15) earning the win, while Mya Clark (4-7) was tagged with the loss and Reagan Stoudt (2) picked up a save. The win for UTSA represented the program's first at a conference tournament since the 2021 CUSA Championship.
Sophomore Skylar Rucker went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a pair of sensational catches in left field. Junior Taryn Madlock joined Rucker with a pair of RBIs, while sophomore Sabrina Wick, freshman Brookelynn Meador and senior Katia Reyes all knocked in runs.
Memphis struck first, plating three runs in the top of the first. UTSA responded in the bottom of the frame as Rucker singled and swiped second, ahead of a Wick base knock. An RBI groundout for Madlock plated the squad’s first run and a Meador single drove in Wick for a 3-2 score line.
UTSA rallied for five runs in the third as Madrid walked, junior Samantha Mundine singled, and freshman Demiree Stafford was plunked, loading the bases with one out. Reyes was walked, tying the contest, ahead of a Tiger miscue that plated Mundine. A base hit for Rucker followed, knocking in Stafford and Reyes, before a Wick sac fly allowed senior Madison Hornback to dent the plate for a 7-3 advantage.
In the bottom of the fifth, Reyes, Rucker and Wick made their way onto the basepaths before a Madlock walk increased the Roadrunner edge to five.
Looking to rally in the seventh, Memphis scored two on an RBI double with no outs. Stoudt was called out of the bullpen, inducing a groundout, and a sac fly followed for an 8-6 score and two outs. A final groundout then secured the victory and propelled the Roadrunners into the Second Round.
In game two, the ‘Runners dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker to the No. 6 seed Mean Green (28-27, 14-13 American) as Hernandez was pegged with the loss, and Briteny Lewinski (15-14) earned the win. Across both games, Hernandez threw 273 pitches with nine strikeouts over 12.0 innings.
For UTSA, Wick led the way going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Mundine was 2-for 3, driving one in on an RBI double.
UNT got on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run.
UTSA got one back in the third, as Stafford worked a leadoff single before scoring on a sharply hit ball by Wick.
An RBI double for Mundine in the top of the fourth plated Meador, tying the contest, 2-2, and in the fifth, a two-bagger for Wick drove in Rucker, handing UTSA the lead.
North Texas knotted things in the fifth, with a baserunner scoring on a dropped third strike that would have ended the inning. The Mean Green attempted to steal home on the following at-bat, but UTSA was able to get the final out, keeping the contest tied, 3-3.
Back-to-back hits for Madrid and Mundine opened the sixth, and Reyes smashed a single up the middle, scoring senior Caton Letbetter, who pinch ran for Madrid. A UNT miscue followed, allowing Mundine to come home, and a later Hornback hit plated Reyes for a 6-3 Roadrunner advantage.
UNT returned the favor with a trio of runs in the home half, seeing a 6-6 deadlock entering the seventh.
The Mean Green used a leadoff double to put the winning run on in the bottom of the seventh, with two outs following. UNT, however, prevailed with a well-placed single cementing the 7-6 walk-off victory.
The loss concludes the 2026 UTSA softball season, with 24 wins representing the most since the 2015 campaign.
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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