SAN ANTONIO — UTSA softball dropped its season opener to No. 25 University of Washington 17-0 on Friday at Roadrunner Field on day one of the UTSA Invitational.
The Roadrunners (0-1) never really stood a chance on Friday. The visiting Huskies (1-1) jumped out in front early and never looked back, sending UTSA to the locker room in just five innings. UTSA was held to zero runs on two hits while surrendering 17 runs on 13 hits. Washington scored in four of five innings and tossed seven strikeouts in the process.
The Huskies scored their first run off a bases-loaded walk from UTSA freshman pitcher Arlette Hernandez. Washington knocked in three RBI singles on Hernandez before she forced a groundout on Huskies outfielder Ava Carroll.
UTSA swapped Hernandez for junior pitcher Meredith Schmitt in the second inning, and Schmitt allowed two runs on three hits. After pitching a scoreless inning for the first time in the third inning, the ‘Runners registered their first hit of the season as senior utility Madison Hornback sliced a double into center field.
UTSA pitchers sophomore Ava Eldrige and junior Jett Harrell allowed nine runs over the last inning to seal the run-rule defeat. Two of the nine runs scored came off of a homerun from Huskies infielder Alexis DeBoer — University of Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer’s daughter. Roadrunners junior outfielder Taryn Madlock had the team’s second and final hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth.
UTSA will face No.9 University of Nebraska-Lincoln at 6:05 p.m. Saturday at Roadrunner Field on day two of the UTSA Invitational.
