SAN ANTONIO — UTSA secured its 16th straight American Conference series win with an 8-3 decision over Charlotte in game two of the league set on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners improved to 27-12 overall and 10-4 in the conference to remain in a tie with UAB atop the American standings. The 49ers fell to 18-20 and 3-11.
With a strong wind blowing in from right center, UTSA still managed to pound out 13 hits, including a pair for extra bases — a mammoth solo blast to left field by Drew Detlefsen in the seventh inning and a two-run double to the gap in left center by Caden Miller in the eighth that capped the scoring for the day.
On the mound, Conor Myles and Sam Simmons combined for a strong pitching performance to help the Roadrunners register their fourth consecutive victory over Charlotte dating back to last season. Myles went 5.1 innings and struck out three batters while allowing just two unearned runs on six hits to run his record to 6-1 on the season. Simmons fanned five and gave up only one unearned run on three hits over 3.2 frames en route to his fourth save of the year.
After a scoreless first, the Roadrunners struck first with a three-run second. Christian Hallmark got things going with an infield single and moved to second when Jacob Silva was hit by a pitch. Following a double steal, Diego Diaz put down a squeeze bunt that turned into a base hit and plated Hallmark with the first run. Jordan Ballin’s squeeze bunt scored Silva and Aidan Eshelman followed with a single to right center that sent home Diaz from second.
Hallmark drove a ground ball through the left side of the infield in the third that scored Andrew Stucky, who reached on a single and moved to second on a wild pitch, to push the advantage to 4-0.
Charlotte made things interesting, as Aaron Orozco’s two-run single to right field in the sixth cut the UTSA lead in half before Adrian Jimenez made it a one-run contest with a base hit down the right field line that scored Cody Gunderson in the seventh.
The Roadrunners responded with Detlefsen’s home run in the bottom of the seventh and three insurance runs in the eighth on a Ballin base hit that scored Silva followed later by Miller’s two-bagger that sent home Ballin and Eshelman, who reached on an infield single.
Simmons closed the door in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts and a fielder’s choice groundout.
Hallmark paced the offense with three hits, while Diaz, Eshelman and Miller logged two hits apiece.
For Charlotte, Ryan Combs (1-1) was pinned with the loss after allowing two runs on one hit in 1.1 innings of work. Orozco, Jimenez and Alec DeMartino had two hits each to lead the 49ers.
The series finale is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday at Roadrunner Field.
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