UTSA softball came into the Mizuno Classic on a six-game losing streak after the Cowgirl Classic II and needed to find wins. Unfortunately for the Roadrunners, finding a win was going to be a lot harder than they thought it would be and now, after the Mizuno Classic, the ‘Runners are on an 11 game losing streak. Losing 11 games in a row is bad, but what makes it worse is the way you lose the games and UTSA is not losing games that are close. Over the last 11 games, UTSA has had two games in which they have lost by nine runs, three where they lost by five or more and six games where they lost by three or less. Losing by such large margins in these games is showing that UTSA may have a tough regular season ahead of them.

To start the tournament off, UTSA took on Wichita State (17-4), which has been looking great in their games leading up to the Mizuno Classic, and their performance against the ‘Runners showed exactly that. In the third, Wichita went up 2-0 with a home run. UTSA did answer with a hit from Celeste Loughman that let Kat Ibarra score, making the score 2-1. In the sixth, Wichita was able to get another run with great base play, but UTSA responded by getting a run of their own after Ibarra walked, allowing Madison Washington to score. With the score 3-2, Wichita scored again in the final inning, but UTSA, this time, was unable to answer, losing the game 4-2.

UTSA next had to play against the sixth-ranked team in the country Oklahoma State (23-4), in an away game. The expectation heading into the game was that the ‘Runners were going to struggle against a team that is nationally ranked and that is exactly what it looked like. This game came at one of the worst times for the ‘Runners. The final score was 2-11 Oklahoma State.

UTSA once again got to try their hand at Wichita State in the next game, but were unable to make the outcome any different. Wichita came out early and held on to the lead for the entire game. UTSA scored a run in the fourth with a single to right off the bat of Lauren Coerver that allowed Brittany Coe to score, but that was where their offense ended. The final score ended up 1-3 Wichita State.

The next two games UTSA played were against the University of Missouri – Kansas (14-6). In the first game, UTSA managed to get a one-run lead early and held onto it for almost the whole game, but faltered in the sixth. Kansas City then tacked on four runs from a three-run home run and a double to the right side that allowed them to score another. With the score sitting at 1-4 Kansas City, UTSA had their backs against the wall in the 7th and were unable to perform, dropping the game by a final score of 1-4. The final game of the Mizuno Classic for UTSA turned into a shootout with the ‘Runners coming out ahead early. Coe, in the first inning, was able to get a homer that resulted in both her and Riley Grunberg scoring, putting them up 2-0. Going into the third, Kansas City answered with a three-run home run putting them up 2-3. Starting in the fourth, UTSA and Kansas City went back and forth, scoring one run apiece until they got to the seventh inning, all tied up at five. UTSA’s defense fell apart in extra innings. UTSA allowed eight runs in the top of the eighth, bringing the score to 13-5 for Kansas City. UTSA had one shot at winning the game or at extending it at the very least. It looked good at first, with Grunberg hitting a three-run homer, but after that,UTSA was quiet and dropped the final game of the Mizuno Classic by a final score of 8-13 Kansas City.

With one tournament for UTSA remaining until conference play, they have to hope for a quick turnaround in form to change the way the team has been playing, or their whole season could be over before it really gets started. Make sure to tune in to the Bevo Classic starting March 26 and support your Roadrunners.