Photo Credit: Will Tallent

On April 19-21, the UTSA baseball team entered the weekend’s series against Sacramento State on a four-game losing streak. After being swept last weekend by CSU Bakersfield and losing to Lamar on Wednesday, the ‘Runners were in desperate need of a series victory.
UTSA defeated the Sacramento State Hornets two games to one.
In game 1, on April 19, UTSA starting pitcher Brock Hartson pitched a gem. Hartson pitched eight innings and allowed only two runs on four hits. The Roadrunners’ offense helped Hartson by scoring runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Roadrunners’ offense scored an additional three runs in the eighth inning to caputre a 7-2 vicotry.
In game 2, on April 20, the ‘Runners offense was held to one run on three hits. Unlike UTSA, Sacramento State’s offense was running on all cylinders. The Hornets scored 12 runs on 16 hits which led them to a 12-1 victory over the Roadrunners in eight innings.
Game 3, the rubber match, was a difficult game for both teams. At first it appeared as if the momentum Sacramento State had accumulated from their 12-1 victory in game 2 would propel them to an easy series victory. The Hornets scored four runs in the first three innings.
However, the ‘Runners were able to cut the Hornets’ lead to 4-1 after Mike Warren scored on a Riley Good RBI sac-fly in the second inning.
UTSA scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the Hornets’ lead 4-3. UTSA tied the game, 4-4, in the next inning when Daniel Rockett scored off Hornet’s pitcher Horacio Correa III RBI sac-fly. The Hornets reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run by Andrew Ayers. UTSA answered back in the bottom frame with an RBI double by Rodney Garza to tie the game a 5-5.I
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Daniel Rockett came up to bat with two men on base and battled with Sacramento State pitcher Brandon Creel. Rockett got the best of Creel when he crushed a ball to left field for a three-run homer to give the ‘Runners an 8-5 lead.
UTSA pitcher Matt Sims closed the game and captured his third save in an 8-5 victory and a series victory over Sacramento State. Although Daniel Rockett hit a heroic home run, the UTSA pitching staff were the true heroes of the game. In the seventh inning, pitcher Michael Kraft relieved starter Nolan Trabanino and Kraft struck out four batters in 1 and 2/3 innings of relief. Sims picked up where Kraft left off and struck out two in 1 and 1/3 innings of relief.
The Roadrunners (21-18, 6-8 WAC) will look to build off this weekend’s momentum when they face Texas-Pan American (19-17, 10-2 Great Western Conference) on April 23.