SAN ANTONIO – UTSA softball freshman pitcher Arlette Hernandez threw a complete game en route to a 5-2 victory over the University of North Texas on Friday at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (18-13, 7-0 AC) coasted in their win over the Mean Green (16-14, 6-1 AC). Offensively, the team got going early, recording four hits and scoring three runs in the second inning. Freshman catcher Brookelynn Meador led the way for the team with two hits and two runs in her three at-bats, highlighted by a solo shot home run in the third to put the ‘Runners up by four. Hernandez kept North Texas at bay throughout the game, halting any sort of rally in the later innings. The freshman notched six strikeouts and allowed two runs in the complete game. The Roadrunners, still undefeated in American Conference play, are off to their best conference start in program history.
“I’m so proud of the girls,” head coach Vann Stuedeman said. “It’s still early, and we have a lot left to do, but this is a great win for our team, our fans and our department. It’s just a really good moment.”
UTSA recorded three-straight singles to load the bases in the second. Junior outfielder Samantha Mundine batted fourth in the lineup and launched an RBI single to put UTSA on the board first. After recording two outs, sophomore left fielder Skylar Rucker reached on a fielding error by North Texas second-baseman Brandi Harman, allowing Meador and junior center-fielder Samantha Mundine to score. Hernandez held North Texas scoreless in that span, going three innings without giving up a run. A solo shot home run from Meador in the third gave UTSA a firm, four-run cushion as they headed into the fourth.
“I could not have done this without my team,” Hernandez said. “The offense was truly something special. They’ve been telling me they have my back, so I trusted them and trusted my stuff.”
North Texas recorded its only two runs in the fourth and sixth innings after RBI singles from North Texas second-baseman Brandi Harman and catcher Sofia Schow. Though it looked like the start of a brief rally, senior third-baseman Madison Hornback answered back by obliterating the ball into left field for a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. The solo shot was the final run scored for UTSA, and Hernandez held the Mean Green scoreless in the closing inning.
“They’ve been doing the right things and putting in the work,” Stuedeman said. “It’s going to be another dog fight tomorrow, but it was truly special to watch.”
The Roadrunners will take on North Texas in game two at 1 p.m. Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
