SAN ANTONIO – On Saturday, the UTSA softball team fell 9-6 at the hands of East Carolina in extra innings at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (12-9, 0-2 The American) couldn’t overcome the Pirates (14-8, 2-0 The American), as Ava Eldridge (2-1) was tagged with the loss and Kendall Frost (6-5) earned the win. The freshman trio of Sabrina Wick, Skylar Rucker and Makayla Madrid all recorded multiple hits, while Madrid drove in three runs.
A run in the second and a solo homer in the fourth handed ECU a 2-0 edge before UTSA replied in the home half.
Rucker singled, and senior Jaylen Prichard reached base safely, putting a pair on for sophomore Kalee Rochinski. She dropped down a bunt that was mishandled, allowing Rucker to dent the plate. Madrid then laced a bases-clearing double down the right field line, affording the ‘Runners a 3-2 advantage.
The Pirates replied in the fifth, regaining a 4-3 lead via a two-run home run, and another crooked number in the sixth put them up 6-3. Not to be deterred, a trio of base knocks allowed Madrid to score Prichard, and a later sacrifice fly by junior Madison Hornback pushed Rochinski across for a 6-5 score line in the bottom of the frame.
Eldridge found three outs in the top of the seventh, sending UTSA up to the plate down one. A senior Lindsey Davis blooper and an infield single for Wick opened the stanza. Rucker reached on a well-placed bunt before a Pirate miscue sent Davis home and tied things up with no outs. Prichard was walked, juicing the bases, but a strikeout and a linecut double play followed, sending the contest into extra innings.
ECU broke the 6-6 deadlock quickly as a three-run bomb in the top of the eighth allowed them to regain their advantage, and UTSA was unable to spark a comeback, falling 9-6.
The series will conclude on Sunday, with first pitch set for 11 a.m. at Roadrunner Field.
Keep up with UTSA Softball all season long on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSASB, X (Twitter) @UTSASoftball, and on Instagram @utsasoftball.
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