SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- UTSA claimed both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Wichita State, winning game one, 13-7, and game two, 8-1, at Roadrunner Field.
Game One
The doubleheader began with a wild first inning that featured a combined nine runs. Wichita State scored three in the top of the frame, taking advantage of a
Lane Haworth dropped fly ball to plate two before
Anthony Cepeda punched an RBI single for a quick 3-0 advantage. UTSA answered right back with a six-run home half that included four Wichita State errors, giving the Roadrunners a 6-3 lead.
WSU starter
Matthew Cuccias settled in after the bumpy first, holding UTSA off the board over the next three innings. Meanwhile, Wichita State continued to pile on against Roadrunners starter Gunnar Brown with scoring in each of those three frames.
Jayson Jones made it 6-4 when he singled home
Zeb Henry combined with a UTSA error, then Henry tied the game the following inning with a two-out, two-run single.
The Shockers moved back in front in the top of the fourth, cashing in Jones' leadoff double with an RBI ground out from
Anthony Cepeda for a 7-6 lead.
The score stayed there until the bottom of the sixth, when UTSA ripped off another six-run inning with the aid of two more WSU errors and a two-run triple from Diego Diaz. When the dust settled, the Roadrunners had snagged a 12-7 lead.
UTSA reliever Connor Kelley (5-1) blanked the Shockers over the final six innings to earn the win.
Brady Pacha (3-1) took the loss for WSU despite not allowing an earned run in the sixth inning explosion.
Wichita State committed seven errors in the contest, tied for the second most in a single game in program history.
Game Two
UTSA broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-out, two-run single from Jordan Ballin and separated late on their way to an 8-1 win.
UTSA starter Conor Myles (8-1) held the Shockers to just one run over 7.0 innings while striking out eight. WSU starter
Brady Hamilton (3-6) matched Myles into the sixth, striking out five while allowing just one run.
Nolan Ganter's fourth inning solo homer had pulled the Shockers level at 1-1, where the game stayed until Ballin slapped his two-run single into center to break the deadlock in the sixth. Aidan Eshelman's RBI single extended the lead to 4-1, then UTSA blew the game open with a four-run bottom of the eighth for the final margin.
The Shockers and Roadrunners complete the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm CT.
