LAKE CHARLES, La. ? UTSA set a school record for most runs scored in a conference tournament game in a 12-3 run rule over UT Arlington to stay alive in the 2009 Southland Conference Tournament on Friday afternoon at the Cowgirl Diamond.
The Roadrunners improved to 29-28 with the win and will face Sam Houston State ? a 2-1 winner over Stephen F. Austin earlier Friday ? at 6:30 p.m. The Mavericks end their season with a 23-24 record.
UTSA pounded a pair of UTA pitchers for 12 runs on 13 hits, highlighted by a nine-run fifth inning. The 12 runs broke the previous school standard set in the 11-3 SLC Tournament Championship win over Northwestern State in 2004.
“We knew coming in UTA would be tough and we were going to have to swing the bats well. Morgan Luksa did a great job today for us on the mound giving up just five hits. She did a good job keeping the ball down and containing UTA’s offense” said UTSA Coach Lori Cook.
Freshman Ashley Kappler led the offensive barrage, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and three runs scored, while freshman Caitlyn Ivy was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Junior Rudi Cantu also collected two hits in three at-bats, scoring two runs and driving in one, while freshman Amber Anderson was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Senior Leanne Risberg, juniors Kelly Cato, Cassie Miller and Krista Sitka and sophomore Kristin Kappler also recorded one base knock apiece, as every batter reached base safely via a hit.
Meanwhile, freshman right-hander Morgan Luksa held the Mavericks at bay at the plate in a complete-game victory, allowing three runs on five hits to run her record to 3-3.
After a pair of scoreless frames, UTSA struck for three runs in the top of the third. Back-to-back singles by Cantu and Ashley Kappler put runners at first and third with one out. Anderson then lined a 1-0 offering from UTA starter Cassandra Nordie to the center fielder for a sacrifice fly that easily plated Cantu with the first run of the game. Risberg then singled to right and moved to second as the throw to third was not in time to get Kappler. Ivy followed with a line-drive single up the middle to make it 3-0.
Nordie helped her own cause with a solo homer to left center in the bottom of the fourth that made it 3-1.
The Roadrunners exploded for nine runs in their next at-bat to break the game wide open. UTSA posted eight hits in the inning, highlighted by a three-run blast to left center by Ashley Kappler that made it 12-1.
Samantha Chumchal homered to center field with a runner on base with two outs in the bottom of the fifth but Luksa got the next batter to fly out to left, putting the eight-run rule into effect and sending the Mavs home.
Nordie allowed six runs on eight hits in 4.1 frames in falling to 3-3. Cara Hulme was tagged for six runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning of relief.
With the win UTSA advances to play Sam Houston State in an elimination game at 6:30 p.m. The Roadrunners beat the Bearkats in game two of the tournament on Thursday off a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“Sam Houston State is not a team you can afford to take for granted especially after they beat Stephen F. Austin. We’re definitely going to have to bring everything we’ve got against them next time” said Cook.