HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats could not overcome an 8-run second inning by UTSA as the Roadrunners evened up the weekend series with a 10-4 win on Saturday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium.
 
Things got off to a good start for the Kats (2-2) as starter Matt Dillard struck out the side in the first, followed by the offense putting up a pair of runs on RBI from Jack Rogers and Blake Faecher; however, UTSA (1-1) responded with a huge second inning and cruised from there.
 
UTSA hit three home runs off of Dillard in the frame, accounting for seven of their eight runs in the game and reliever Shane Daughety put up 5.0 innings of 1-run relief to earn his first win of the season.
 
Rogers reached base all five times he came to the plate with three singles and a pair of walks, while Gavin Johnson came off the bench to deliver two hits in his two plate appearances. Christian Smith picked up a late RBI on a double in the ninth while Mason Schulz delivered a solo homer in the sixth, his first at-bat as a Bearkat.
 
The Bearkat bullpen was nearly perfect in 7.2 innings of relief with three pitchers making their debuts. Freshman Logan Hewitt tossed 2.2 scoreless innings before Matt Rudis struck out three on 38 pitches in 3.0 no-hit innings of his own. Jack Driskell and Garrett Egli also combined for three punchouts in the final two finnings.
 
The Kats will look to take the series on Sunday afternoon in the series finale. First pitch is set for noon.