UTSA softball lost its fourth and fifth American Athletic Conference matchups on Friday in a doubleheader to North Texas. The Mean Green (15-12, 5-1) managed 16 runs on the opening day before the Roadrunners (9-21, 1-5) responded with a 4-2 win on Sunday.
“To get the first AAC win, and then it be on Sunday, is the statement that maybe we’re going to turn the page and learn how to start fighting a little bit harder,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said.
Senior catcher Taylor Jensen jump-started the final game, scoring the ‘Runners first run of a two-run homer that tied up the game at 2-2 after the bottom of the third.
“It was definitely rewarding because I haven’t been doing so well,” Jensen said. “But I’ve been putting in the work and it finally paid off.”
With bases loaded, Erykah Guerrero came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. The senior catcher smacked an RBI single down center field, bringing freshman outfielder Sydney McReynolds home to give UTSA a 3-2 lead.
Junior infielder Camryn Robillard gave the ‘Runners their final run in the bottom of the sixth. After hitting a single down center field and managing her way to third, North Texas made a fielding error to allow Robillard to come across home.
Despite winning her first AAC matchup, Stuedeman has yet to win a conference series after getting swept by UAB over spring break. Since being hired as North Texas’ coach in 2016, Rodney DeLong has won every series against the ‘Runners with a 28-13 record against UTSA.
In game one of the series, the Mean Green led 8-3 until a five-run inning from the Roadrunner tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. North Texas held UTSA scoreless in the final two innings while knocking in two runs in the sixth to win the series opener.
The softball team has not had a winning season since 2015. With Sunday’s win against North Texas, the team has officially surpassed their losing record from last year’s (8-41) record, bringing their win column total to nine.
“It’s gonna get hard, every game, there is gonna be gonna be a moment or two that it gets hard,” Stuedeman said of facing conference opponents. “We have to stay invested and stay invested in each other and the progress of everybody and stay positive and have positive action, not just positive words, but positive action. And we just gotta keep fighting and we’ve gotta learn how to fight.”
UTSA will hit the road to face new AAC foe Wichita State for a weekend series beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at Wilkins Stadium.
