Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of Texas at San Antonio scored a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to edge Saint Peter's 1-0 in non-conference baseball action in the season opener for both teams on Friday night.
Zach Hopf (Woodbridge, N.J./Woodbridge) had an impressive debut to his senior season on the mound, pitching seven-scoreless innings with two strikeouts while allowing three hits on the night. Ariel Ramirez (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Babeque) recorded the only two hits in the game for the Peacocks (0-1) in the loss.
RJ Perucki knocked in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th for the Roadrunners (1-0) while Logan Onda picked up the win after pitching the final five innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts in the winning effort.
Saint Peter's gave the 2013 Western Athletic Conference and NCAA Tournament participate a battle for nine innings before the Roadrunners pushed across a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to take the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
After nine scoreless innings, Texas at San Antonio won the game in extra innings without a base hit. Andres Vieyra started the frame by being hit by the pitch before John Welborn and Jesse Baker walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Perucki knocked in the lone run of the game on a sacrifice fly to center to hand the Roadrunners the victory.
The Peacocks best chance to score came in the third inning when they put their first two runners on base with no outs. DJ Nozza (Belle Mead, N.J./Montgomery) walked and then Ramirez singled to right field. Nozza was then picked off and then the Roadrunners ended the inning on a strikeout-caught stealing.
Ramirez singled for the second time on the night in the top of the ninth with one out, but was erased on a double play to end the inning.
Jim Smith (Hatfield, N.J./North Penn) reached base twice on the night, but could not get into scoring position. The senior walked in the first with two outs before a strikeout ended the inning. He also reached after being hit with the pitch in the 10th, but a fielder's choice and groundout ended the threat. Vinny Maietta (Franklin Square, N.Y./St. Mary's) was the only other Saint Peter's batter to reach base when he walked in the fifth, but was picked off with two outs in the stanza.
Saint Peter's returns to action in the second game in the three-game series against Texas at San Antonio on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
