SAN ANTONIO\u2014 The UTSA softball team split an American Conference doubleheader with South Florida on Friday, first picking up a 9-6 victory, before falling 5-1 at Roadrunner Field.<\/p>\n
The Roadrunners (20-21, 8-7 American) took down the Bulls (29-12, 11-4 American) in game one, as junior Meredith Schmitt<\/a> (1-1) picked up the win off 4.1 innings of scoreless softball. Belle Sardja (5-4) was tagged with the loss for South Florida.<\/p>\n At the plate, sophomore Skylar Rucker<\/a> launched a home run, while freshman Demiree Stafford<\/a> recorded four RBIs and legged out a bases-clearing triple.<\/p>\n USF capitalized on a UTSA miscue to plate four in the top of the first. The \u2018Runners returned the favor in the home half, as junior Taryn Madlock<\/a> was plunked with the bases loaded, and a freshman Brookelynn Meador<\/a> RBI single followed by a Bulls error resulted in a 4-3 score line at the innings conclusion.<\/p>\n Things were quiet until the bottom of the fifth, when a Rucker solo shot knotted things up, 4-4. Two outs followed, ahead of a Mundine single, a Meador double, and a Madlock walk that put ducks on the pond for Stafford. She stepped up and delivered a bases-clearing triple, putting UTSA up, 7-4. The inning continued with a dropped third strike and a USF error that pushed Stafford across, and a senior Madison Hornback<\/a> double plated classmate Katia Reyes<\/a> shortly after increasing the Roadrunner advantage to five.<\/p>\n USF got one back in the sixth, and a solo home run in the seventh had them within three. From there, UTSA clamped down, securing the 9-6 game one victory.<\/p>\n In game two, Anne Long (11-3) picked up the win for USF, while Reyes (0-1) was issued the loss in her first pitching appearance of the campaign. Redshirt junior Madison Collins<\/a> also appeared in the circle, tossing four scoreless frames, and freshman Aubrey Flores<\/a> allowed just one hit in an inning of work.<\/p>\n South Florida struck first, with a two-run home run in the top of the first. They then loaded up the bases in the second, and a well-placed single scored all three for a 5-0 USF edge. A double steal in the sixth allowed Rucker to dent the plate, resulting in a 5-1 score line entering the seventh.<\/p>\n The \u2018Runners threatened with two outs in the seventh, juicing the bases, but the threat did not come to pass as UTSA fell, 5-1.<\/p>\n The Roadrunners will now meet Texas State in San Marcos on Tuesday, with a 6 p.m. first pitch at the Bobcat Softball Stadium.<\/p>\n Keep up with UTSA Softball all season long on goutsa.com<\/a>, and by following the program on Facebook at \/UTSASB<\/a>, X (Twitter) @UTSASoftball<\/a>, and on Instagram @utsasoftball<\/a>.<\/p>\n -UTSA-<\/p>\n