March 26, 2005

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO - For the second time in as many days, Texas State fell victim to a five-run inning in a Southland Conference loss to Texas-San Antonio, 7-4 in San Antonio.

The Roadrunners started strong, posting a run in the first inning on a Ryan Crew sacrifice fly. Texas State came charging back in the fourth inning, plating a pair of runs on a two-RBI double by Doug Pearce that scored Elliott Babcock from first and Cassidy Dresch from second. Texas State's third run of the game would come in the fifth on Kyle Jones' RBI single that scored Nolan Mast.

The Bobcats led 3-1 through six, but UTSA used a five-run post-stretch rally to climb on top 6-3 through seven complete innings at Roadrunner Field.

Texas State got back within two runs in the top of the eighth, but UTSA immediately answered in the home half of the inning, putting the lead back to three runs.

UTSA closer Jason Vecchio slammed the door on the Bobcats in the ninth, retiring all three batters he faced and gaining his third save of the season. Bobcat starter Chris Jean took the loss, dropping his record to 3-3, while UTSA's Josh Ruffin went seven innings and posted his third win of the season.

Despite taking the loss for the Bobcats, Jean pitched six innings and struck out six, giving up eight hits and four runs, all earned. Scott Moore pitched in his third game of the week, relieving Jean and giving up one hit and two earned runs with one strike out in the seventh. B.J. Boening also threw an inning for the Bobcats, giving up one hit and one run while striking out one Roadrunner batter.

Pearce, Jones and Kyle Anson all recorded two-for-four days at the plate, with Pearce driving home two runs and Jones recording an RBI and a run scored on the afternoon. UTSA was paced by Stephen Holdren, who went three-for-three with a walk and an RBI, and Ryan Saltzgaber, who was two-for-four at the dish with an RBI and a run scored.

Texas State's record dropped to 18-10 with Saturday's loss, and the Bobcats are now 3-2 in Southland Conference play. The win pushed UTSA ahead of Texas State in the SLC standings at 4-1, and moved the Roadrunners to 7-16 overall in 2005.

Texas State will try to avoid its first swept series of the season on Sunday, with first pitch between the Roadrunners and Bobcats coming at 1 p.m., at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio.