SAN ANTONIO – Utah plated four runs right out of the gate, but UTSA countered with the game's next 11 runs as the Utes fell by an 11-5 score on Saturday at Roadrunner Field. The teams will play the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday with first pitch at noon MT.
Cameron Gurney extended his team-leading hitting streak to seven consecutive games played, contributing his second home run of the season.
Landon Frei and
Jayden Kiernan each had a pair of hits in the loss.
The four-run first came as Utah (5-5) took advantage of a UTSA error.
Bruer Webster led off the ballgame with a ground ball to shortstop--but the throw to first base got away, allowing Webster to reach and take second base. He scored two batters later when
Kai Roberts dropped a single into left-center field.
After
TJ Clarkson was hit by a pitch to put two men on base, Gurney turned on an 0-1 pitch and put it over the wall in right-center and past the 375-foot marker of Roadrunner Field. It capped the scoring for the inning and gave Utah an early 4-0 lead.
UTSA answered with one run in the home half of the first, then tied the score at four-all in the third inning when Antonio Valdez hit a three-run homer. The home club would pull in front with three more runs in the fourth inning, one apiece in the sixth and seventh innings and a two-spot in the eighth.
The Utes did get one run back in the ninth, when
Elijha Hammill's infield single allowed pinch runner
Matt Flaharty to score and bring the game to its final score.
Randon Hostert received the loss on the mound for Utah.
Ernesto Lugo-Canchola also appeared out of the bullpen, striking out three batters in 2.0 innings of work.
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