SAN ANTONIO, Texas – UTSA hit 11 home runs in two games en route to a doubleheader sweep past HBU softball, 10-6 and 12-4 in five innings, Wednesday evening from Roadrunner Field.
In game one, after spotting UTSA an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, HBU scored four times in the top of the second to take a 4-1 lead.
Alyssa Burnett hit a one-out single then later scored on a Roadrunner error. With runners at first and second and two outs,
Kirsten Schwirtlich hit a three-run homer to center field.
The Roadrunners answered with a four-run bottom of the third to take a 5-4 lead. All four runs were home runs.
UTSA scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth on a homer by Jori Fox as the Roadrunners led, 6-4. A groundout that scored
Michaela Granchelli from third, followed by an RBI double by K. Schwirtlich in the top of the fifth tied the game at 6-all.
UTSA answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, with both runs scoring unearned on an error. The Roadrunners added some insurance with a two-run blast by Tess Soefje in the bottom of the sixth, as they led HBU 10-6.
K. Schwirtlich went 2-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored for HBU.
Lauren Schwirtlich scored two runs.
Shannon O'Connor started in the circle and got a no-decision, as she allowed five hits, four runs, and one walk with one strikeout in 2.1 innings.
Kendall Stiefel (2-7) pitched the final 3.2 innings and took the loss, as she gave up five hits, six runs (four earned), and three walks.
Megan Low and Fox each had two hits for UTSA, as Fox, Vivian Tijerina, and Soefje each had two RBI.
Nicole Merrill (5-7) earned the win in the circle and allowed six hits, six runs (three earned), and eight walks with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Chelsea Parker pitched the final two-thirds of an inning for her second save.
UTSA took another quick lead to begin game two, as Low hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first.
Holly Webb hit a two-run single in the top of the second to give HBU a 2-1 lead.
But the Roadrunners answered with a four-run bottom half of the inning to lead HBU, 5-2. Siera Sproul hit a leadoff homer, Madison Kinley scored on a fielder's choice, Fox hit a sac fly, and Tijerina hit an RBI single to complete the scoring.
After an RBI double by Low in the bottom of the third gave UTSA a 6-2 lead, the Roadrunners broke the game open with a six-run bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homer by Sproul.
Victoria Granchelli hit her third home run of the season in the top of the fifth to make the score 12-4.
L. Schwirtlich and
Daniella Rodarte each went 2-for-3 for HBU. Webb had two RBI.
Emily Mueller (5-4) took the loss in the circle, as she allowed three hits, four runs (three earned), and three walks with one strikeout in 1.0+ inning. O'Connor pitched 2.2 innings of middle relief and allowed nine hits, eight runs (six earned), and two walks with three strikeouts. Stiefel tossed the final one-third of an inning and walked one batter.
Low went 4-for-4 with three home runs, three runs scored, and two homers for UTSA. Fox, Tijerina, and Sproul each had two hits, as Fox had three RBI and Sproul had four.
Parker (2-4) earned the win, as she allowed four hits, two runs (zero earned), and one walk with one strikeout in 3.0 innings. Kacy Freeze pitched the final 2.0 innings and gave up four hits, two runs, and one walk with four strikeouts.
HBU (9-16) resumes Southland Conference play at home against Stephen F. Austin this Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1 pm, while Sunday's single game is set for a 2 pm start.
