By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners scored five runs in the top of the first inning Thursday and then cruised behind a two home-run performance from Alexander Olivo to a 14-1 victory over the Florida Atlantic Owls.

Playing in Boca Raton, the Roadrunners won after seven innings on the run rule in the first of a three-game series in the American Athletic Conference.

Second-place UTSA cranked out 14 hits to stay in the chase for the regular-season title in the AAC. First-place East Carolina, playing at home, defeated the Rice Owls 8-2 to remain one game ahead of the Roadrunners with two to play.

Ulises Quiroga (8-1) pitched 5 and 2/3 innings and allowed one run to earn the victory. Ryan Ward went 1 and 1/3 to finish off FAU. C.J. Williams (5-4) took the loss for the Owls.

UTSA has won three straight games and four of its last five. The Roadrunners’ last two wins have come on the run rule. UTSA beat Incarnate Word 13-3 in eight innings Tuesday night in San Antonio.

Individually for the Roadrunners, Olivo enjoyed a big day at FAU, reaching base four times and scoring four runs. He highlighted a two-for-three batting performance with solo home runs in the second and third innings. The homers were his fourth and fifth of the season.

Olivo is five for eight with five RBI in his last two games combined.

Another UTSA player swinging a hot bat is freshman Diego Diaz, who had three hits and three RBI against the Owls, giving him eight hits and five RBI over his last three performances.

Zane Spinn led off the fifth inning with a homer, his second in four games, as the Roadrunners erupted for six runs. Diaz and Mark Henning capped the outburst with consecutive two-run singles.

Records

UTSA 31-21, 16-9
Florida Atlantic 25-26, 11-14

Coming up

AAC series: UTSA at Florida Atlantic
Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday at noon

AAC tournament: At Clearwater, Fla.
May 21-26